until the ride ends & even after that
by mew-tsubaki
Summary: M&MWP, Maydayverse. No matter what, they would be together. They were always going to be together. *200 short, non-linear drabbles for Victoire and Neville, on love, life, and looking behind them before they look down the road. Mention if used, thx.
1. Roses

**until the ride ends & even after that**

A HariPo drabble collection

by mew-tsubaki

Note for _**all**_ chapters: The _Harry Potter_ characters belong to J.K. Rowling, not to me. :[ However, Victoire/Neville is a **Mew & Mor Weird Pairing**, so I'd appreciate a nod if you used the pairing (and visit my profile for more on M&MWPs ;} ). These are 200 non-linear, _**SHORT**_ drabbles, dealing with the linking themes of Vicnev, love, life, and family—so read, review, and enjoy! :3

P.S.—My only request is that you **do not favorite this without reviewing**, as I spent a year and two months on this, coming up with my own prompts and seeing that this was complete before posting any bit of it. Thank you very much, and happy reading! –mew! :}

- ^-^3

***1—Roses***

Victoire scrunched up her nose as Neville clipped the stems for a bouquet. "I hate roses," she groused.

Neville glanced at her over the top of the flower bush. "Can't stand things that are more beautiful than you?" He said it so smoothly that she _had_ to blush.

"You know, only my mother and father can get away with saying stuff like that to me," she chided. She flipped her hair over her shoulder and pruned the leaves as he passed her stems.

"I'm sure you can make an allowance for an old professor who grew a genetic hybrid of rose in your name," he said with his gentle chuckle.

"I told you to stop reminding us you were my—" Victoire paused, his words catching up to her as he smiled. Slowly, she smiled, too. "I love roses."


	2. Nighttime

***2—Nighttime***

She tossed and turned, but all she could do was groan.

"Vic…go to sleep…," Neville mumbled groggily. He tightened his arm around her middle, and she clung to his arm.

The witch bit her lip. "I can't sleep."

"Shh…"—which was Neville's way of saying he cared…but he was _awfully_ tired after being dragged out shopping by her. And they had been out all day long, too.

She was quiet for a moment, and then: "My stomach aches…"

His eyes flew open. "Do you mean—"

Victoire sighed. "No, I'm fine. But I'll have you know that _all_ of me aches with a pregnant belly…" She sighed and fell asleep soon enough.


	3. Runaway

***3—Runaway***

Dominique stood in the doorframe with one hand on her hip. The other held a brown paper bag.

Victoire eyed her sister carefully and sniffled, still angry from two weeks ago. "What is it, Dom?"

The blonde pushed the bag at Victoire. "Peace muffins from Mum." She peeked at the couch, which had appeared to be snoring but was in fact Neville, fast asleep.

"Mum and Dad didn't want to hear that I'm in love with him," Victoire reminded her.

"You can't blame them; you're a year out of school." Dominique's hazel eyes locked with Victoire's sky blue ones.

"And muffins are a remedy?"

Dominique shrugged and patted her sister's shoulder. "At least they're trying."


	4. Exhaustion

***4—Exhaustion***

Sometimes Neville never left the greenhouses. Okay, maybe it was an exaggeration, because he tried _not_ to sleep there. But he really did love his work, and it was only for his love of the subject that Sprout finally had retired and allowed him to become the Herbology professor.

He wiped the sweat off his brow, smudging dirt across his face. He dared to feed the Venomous Tentacula, and then he decided to sit on one of the benches and take a break. Even between classes, Neville was in the greenhouses.

Someone tapped on the glass, and he looked up and saw second-year Victoire Weasley. She entered and asked, "You're still here?"

He nodded.

"I thought it was you every time I walked by…" And she produced a glass of cool pumpkin juice so that he might recharge.

- ^-^3

**Platonic Vicnev's cute, too.**

**-mew! :3**


	5. Opening

***5—Opening***

"Do you want to try this…dating thing?"

Victoire blinked, surprised as much as Neville that he'd just said such a thing. Her mouth opened and closed, and she almost forgot she was celebrating her Hogwarts graduation at Florean's with her friends. Neville had been invited since she and her mates liked him best of the professors (Victoire for more-than-friendly reasons), but she couldn't have pictured this as an opening for him to ask her out. Not when months ago she'd confessed to him and—while he hadn't _rejected_ her—he'd said nothing.

So was he really open to the idea of her, or was he just humoring her? Briefly, her eyes dropped down to his left hand, which hadn't had a tan line on the ring finger for three years. Then she looked at his soft brown eyes and melted as her ice cream did.

"Maybe we can try this…dating thing," she replied.

She'd never seen him look so lively and young before.


	6. Babble

***6—Babble***

One night, years after her daughters had hit puberty, Fleur sat with Victoire and Dominique. They were positioned cuddled up to Fleur on the couch, and they had a good view outside the window of the Moon illuminating the water.

"Eef I 'ad to 'ave any strong man een ze world, eet would still be your fozzer," Fleur mused, a smile playing on her lips.

"If I were older, Draco—he's been through a lot… But I guess I'll go for Scorpius," Dominique stated. She yawned, and so did her mother and sister. It was past midnight, in fact, and somehow they had yet to tear their eyes from the beautiful, beautiful moon.

"I like Neville," Victoire said plainly. Then she realized her words and spluttered, "I mean, I'd like Neville, because he's shy yet strong and gently forceful and I'm sure he's an amazing person outside the classroom—" She stopped and prayed to Merlin that Dominique and their mother would be too tired in the morning to recall her answer.

- ^-^3

**Snuggling with your mum is comforting no matter what age! :D And whoops, the ****M&MWP**** Dominique/Draco slipped in there, though it's just a mention and not going to happen here. ;P**

**-mew! :3**


	7. French

***7—French***

Rummaging through the attic, Neville bumped a box of Victoire's stuff, and it spilled. He softly cursed and collected his wife's things. But as he unwillingly sifted through the items, a funny feeling developed in him.

The box held an array of things: a miniature of the Eiffel Tower, a beret in the colors of the French flag, Fleur's old Beauxbatons chapeau, a stuffed snail doll (which made him grin, since Victoire couldn't stand to eat escargot), some book in French… There were other things, too, but with each and every item he saw, Neville wondered how much of her mother's heritage she had embraced yet simultaneously had squashed. To Neville's knowledge, Bill had never tried or forced assimilation onto Fleur, but Neville wondered if Fleur had put a lot of her culture aside after marrying Bill, and she'd shared only a bit of it with her children.

And, judging by the box, Victoire loved French things. Maybe Neville was too English for Victoire's taste…

Then Neville laughed at the idea. His name was of French origin, wasn't it?

- ^-^3

**"Neville" is French for "new town."**

**-mew! -w-**


	8. Beast

***8—Beast***

"You're too good for me…," Victoire mumbled under her breath, and Neville didn't hear her as he went and poured her some tea.

She'd fancied her professor for a little while now, but she'd only recently managed to see Teddy to break up with him. The thing was, _he_ broke up with _her_, and that was the first time anyone had ever left _her_. And it'd hurt. It'd hurt so badly. Would she and Teddy ever see eye to eye again? And then Neville had found her and now was comforting her…and all she could think was that—no matter how strongly she felt for him—she was no good for him.

It wasn't just that she was young and much too sharp for her own good. She was of mixed blood, English and French, scarred and unmarred…wolf and Veela. And it was the last part that bothered her the most. She wasn't even entirely human, not with werewolf- and Veela-tainted blood flowing through her veins.

Looking at Neville, she thought of how amazing and kind and brave he was…

…and that she was the Beast to his Beauty.


	9. Distraction

***9—Distraction***

Justin heaved a sigh as he followed Neville around in the library. "Hannah _actually_ interrupted my Muggle Studies class to let me know Ernie was back. That woman… They _were_ always close, though."

Neville nodded a bit, but he wasn't really listening. He heard "Hannah" and "Ernie" and _did_ think the same things as Justin did, but Neville was determined to find that Herbology book he needed. And he made a mental note to buy himself a copy.

He rounded the corner as Justin continued babbling, but a scene caught his eye and he forgot all about Herbology for a moment. Victoire Weasley—sixteen by now, if he recalled correctly—was comforting a fellow Ravenclaw witch who looked rather upset. And when Victoire got her Housemate to look at her and Victoire hugged her, Neville thought how heartwarming the scene was. That girl was certainly more than a pretty face.

"Neville!" Justin chided, nose to nose with him.

Neville sighed. _Justin_ was not even a pretty face.

- ^-^3

**Only in Neville's opinion, 'cuz I **_**love**_** Justin Finch-Fletchley.**

**-mew! ;]**


	10. Goodbye

***10—Goodbye***

"Well, there goes James," Teddy chuckled as he rested his hands on Victoire's waist.

"I wish he hadn't seen us snogging," she said with a sigh. "It'll make the news to the family worse."

"That we decided to remain friends? Yeah, I'll probably have some curses sent my way." He rested his chin on top of her head. "But we both feel this way, and we can't keep everyone else happy at the expense of our own happiness." Teddy brushed some hair out of her blue eyes. "But I want to be the _first_ to know the name of this bloke that got your heart. Promise?" he added, holding up his pinky.

Victoire laughed and pinky-promised. "I swear. And, Teddy? Don't get killed in Auror training."

"I solemnly swear," he said, sounding more like Sirius Black than like his father.

When Victoire waved and boarded the train, she thought about telling Teddy about her love. But she hadn't even told the "bloke"—Neville—yet.


	11. Bad

***11—Bad***

So, so wrong.

Neville squeezed his eyes shut. Maybe if he didn't think _those_ things, then his heart would stop beating so fast. But he could barely think with Victoire sitting beside him. Good Godric, had he ever been able to think with her around?

"Neville, are you all right?" And she pouted and looked so concerned and bent a little closer to him and—_BY MERLIN, WHY DID SHE HAVE TO WEAR SUCH AN INVITING V-NECK TOP TODAY?!_

Blood rushed in his ears as he was even more aware of her thigh pressed against his. Sweet founders, he had never felt so crazy about a witch before. And they'd only been dating for a month…was this some Veela power she had over him?

But Neville came to another conclusion. Victoire Apolline Weasley had helped him finally hit puberty, yessirree.


	12. Girl

***12—Girl***

"Oh, Neville, I just restocked."

He assured Victoire that he'd be fine opening his own medicine cabinet in his own bathroom. Well, their bathroom. They'd been living together for over a year, and they both knew Victoire wasn't going anywhere (even if Neville hadn't put a ring on her finger…yet).

But he was in no way yet used to living with a witch (he'd spent more time at Hogwarts than at the Leaky Cauldron), for he opened the cabinet and out poured an assortment of feminine products and potions, magical and Muggle alike. There were things to rub on skin, things to peel off skin, things to clip, and things to insert (okay, now how did _that_ one work?).

Victoire groaned and came and swished her wand to put everything back. "Sorry…," he mumbled, redder than a tomato.

She quirked an eyebrow. "You forgot I'm a girl, didn't you?"


	13. Ravenclaw

***13—Ravenclaw***

"You know, I think Neville's got a type," Louis said as he and Victoire sat outside. They were sitting on the stoop of Neville's house; it was Louis' second visit since his sister had moved out of the family home two months ago.

"What do you mean?" the witch asked. Sometimes she liked staring at the blue sky with her brother. But sometimes his talking ruined the moment.

"Lorcan and Lysander were joking about how Neville was almost their dad. He liked Luna once upon a time."

"So? Hannah was a 'Puff."

"But you were an eagle just like the twins' mum."

Victoire opened her mouth—and shut it. For being so smart, she couldn't find a retort to match Louis' statement. It sucked that he was right.


	14. Time

***14—Time***

Victoire dropped into a seat at the ice cream bar at Florean's and held her head. Could the day possibly get any worse?

It was bad enough that she'd worked on a Saturday, and she hadn't worked a weekend in forever. But Madam Malkin had a family obligation of her own and had left the shop in Victoire's capable hands—which had been a nice thought until Cousin Molly had arrived for her appointment. And Molly had only _recently_ gotten engaged to Michael Corner and needed new robes to meet his parents and _already_ she was a bridezilla! Not to mention that Victoire had had to deal with a crotchety old man afterwards all the while brooding over the fact that she would not be the first of her generation to marry. And on top of all of that, Neville had asked to meet her here and he was _LATE_.

Speaking of the devil, he appeared. "Vic?"

"_What_?" she snapped, and she scared him enough that he jolted and dropped a ring he'd been holding…oh. A ring. …better late than never, yes?

- ^-^3

**Mols/Michael is another ****M&MWP****. ;) Also, this is the 2****nd**** time so far that I've mentioned Florean's; in my head-canon, the place is owned by Marcus Belby and his family after the war, because everyone needs Florean's, even without Florean himself around.**

**-mew! :']**


	15. Guilty

***15—Guilty***

Bill finished telling his story and his family laughed. But he rested his eyes on his eldest daughter. "Have plans, Victoire?"

She blushed at being called out, and her fork clattered on her plate. "Mm, what? Sorry. Why?"

Her father pointed to her plate. "Because you're the only one who's rushed through her meal—everyone else is only half finished." To emphasize his point, he gestured to Fleur, Dominique, Louis, and himself in turn.

Victoire's mouth opened slightly and formed an "O." She hadn't meant to be obvious, but she _had_ planned on going to Neville's for dessert. But as excited as she was to be taking things slowly with Neville, she was kind of hoping for at least a tiny kiss tonight. However, looking into her father's eyes—eyes that matched hers—she shook her head in reply, and the meal continued. She was being a bit selfish. Victoire felt pretty sure that she'd have a lot of time with Neville in the future…but her dad wouldn't always be around.


	16. Redhead

***16—Redhead***

"Good Godric, woman, Neville's going to be stunned when he sees you. And I don't mean by Expelliarmus." Rose shook her head and whistled.

Victoire blushed and eyed her reflection. Behind her veiled head, Rose, Lucy, and Lily stood admiring her. "I guess this is it," the eldest witch said. "I'm finally getting married."

Lucy was the one bridesmaid to voice their thoughts. "You're different, you know. You two will last."

"Yeah," Lily chimed in. "Blondes are no fun. Neville just needed a sexy redhead."

"Lily, my hair is strawberry blonde and my sister is a platinum blonde," Victoire pointed out dryly.

Lily grinned. "Why lump yourself in with the likes of Neville's past loves, eh? You're Victoire, the one who won't let him get away."

Victoire, too, grinned at that.

- ^-^3

**I only meant Luna and Hannah, not Dominique. Though Dom/Nev is another ****M&MWP****, haha. ;P And the point was that all the women in the room here are redheads, *lol*.**

**-mew! ;]**


	17. Weeds

***17—Weeds***

"Bugger!"

"Papa!"

Neville bit back another curse. "Sorry, sorry, Maggie…" He struggled to pull out another weed.

His seven-year-old daughter—with blue eyes like her mother's and dark hair like his—shook her head. "Mama's gonna scold you."

"I didn't mean to swear—"

"You know she only likes my other nickname," the little girl chided.

Neville stopped what he was doing and caught her up in his arms, where she shrieked with laughter. "Marguerite or Maggie or Margaret or Margot, you're still my little girl. Now either help me out here or go inside and bother your big sister."

Marguerite grinned and pecked her father's cheek. She stayed to help.

- ^-^3

**Yes, an OC, but as she's the 2****nd**** child for Vicnev, maybe I'm forgiven? Not to mention she'll reappear in this collection.**

**-mew! -w-**


	18. Click

***18—Click***

Seamus couldn't stop laughing. Dean looked apologetically at Neville. "Neville always was th' slowest one of us, yeah?" the Irishman gasped.

"I was just making a point!" Neville said defensively. He furrowed his brow. "Just like you and Lavender—"

"—you an' Victoire 'click'?" Seamus shook his head. "Lad, I've been married ter Lav fer a while an' we 'ave a son. But you an' Victoire?" He laughed again.

"What Seamus means," Dean explained as he rolled his eyes at his best mate, "is that you only just asked her out. Not to mention that she's fresh out of Hogwarts, mate."

Finally Seamus got a hold of himself. "But maybe…maybe tha's wha' Neville needs, yeah?"

Though Neville wasn't sure he liked Seamus' wording, he kind of agreed. If there was _one_ thing he knew, it was that he needed Victoire.

- ^-^3

**Cookies if you know Seamus and Lav's son.**

**-mew! B)**


	19. Seaside

***19—Seaside***

"I love it here, _Mamie_."

Fleur chuckled gently. "Frédérique, zat eez funny."

"Why?" her granddaughter asked. They were walking along the beach outside of Shell Cottage. It was just the two of them today.

"You were born 'ere," Fleur answered. "Your _maman_ and papa stopped 'ere on ze way to ze 'ospital and never made eet zere. You were born een ze baztub!" Fleur chuckled again as she replayed that night in her mind. "You were almost named 'Océane' for zat."

Frédérique scrunched up her nose. "I don't like that. I can't picture not being 'Frédérique.'"

Fleur sat on the sand and tugged Frédérique to her. "Well, you will always be 'Frédérique,' no matter what 'Ouse you get at 'Ogwarts," she reassured the ten-year-old. Frédérique shrugged it off as if she hadn't been bothered.

- ^-^3

**And now we meet their 1****st**** daughter. This is also the 1****st**** drabble in the collection not to actually have either Vic or Nev! I kinda wanted to include other charries, since I thought it would get boring/repetitive if Vic and Nev were **_**everywhere**_**.**

**-mew! :]**


	20. Imperfect

***20—Imperfect***

The whispers floated around him. "Who do you think he's waiting for?" "Judging by that shabby sweater, probably his sister or grandmother!" "What a sorry-looking gent, standing there at the mouth of the bridge."

It didn't get any better when Victoire appeared.

"No! Him with _her_?" "Oh, he's gotta be her dad!" "My, how inappropriate—don't look." "Either she's crazy or she's a _lot_ older than she looks."

Or when they kissed.

"Ew! Ew, ew, ew!" "I'm calling the police; there's no possibility that that's a _woman_ and not a _girl_." "Then hurry; they're walking away."

The whispers faded as he and Victoire headed for the ferry that exhibited flora and fauna near the village. Victoire squeezed his hand; she agreed. At least for a year, they would stick to cities and avoid little, gossiping hamlets like this one.


	21. Directions

***21—Directions***

It was hard. Maybe it was _too_ hard. Maybe nothing was worth the effort.

After being married for a year and a half, Victoire felt as though she and Neville had reached an impasse. Things felt so routine. Everything in the house was in its place. Neville still buttoned his sweaters the same way (skipping the second-to-last button). Victoire still parted her hair the same way (not centered—just a little to the left).

Was this marriage? Where was the excitement? Everyone said that marriage was "the next big adventure," but Victoire didn't agree. Adventures had a group of heroes and heroines going together to the same places. But Victoire felt as though she was descending some high mountain while Neville was ascending it.

How could they fix that? Victoire couldn't fix it alone. She had to know that Neville wanted the same. So she stopped analyzing and just asked him.


	22. Memory

***22—Memory***

He had a bad taste in his mouth. Seeing Teddy like that—so _single_ like that—had put an uneasy feeling in his gut. All right, so maybe Lily and Teddy were on the outs. All right, so maybe Teddy and Victoire had stayed good friends after their short-lived romance more than a decade ago. And all right, so Victoire was kind to have let Teddy take the couch for one night, as Lily had kicked him out.

But Neville couldn't shake the uneasy feeling he got when he'd seen Teddy look at Victoire a certain way. What was Teddy thinking? Did he think he'd made a mistake? Did he think that Victoire should've had _his_ child and not Neville's? Was he plotting ways already for how to get Victoire back in his life for good?

Maybe Lily had had a good reason for booting him.

Even though Teddy and Lily patched things up later, Neville never _would_ forget that one "rough patch."


	23. Gray

***23—Gray***

How could they talk about it? It was such a gray area. It wasn't a necessarily good or bad thing, but it would definitely _lead_ into a bad topic, that of their age gap.

Neville grimaced, as if to say, "Well, what do you think?"

Victoire reached out and touched the side of his face. She gently smiled as though she was telling him, "These things happen."

And his brow would furrow: "Easy for you to say. You're only forty. And you'll be forever gorgeous."

She pecked his cheek: "I think it makes you look distinguished."

He sighed: "Liar." Then he turned with her to look at his reflection again. To have woken up on his sixtieth birthday with a spot of gray by his right ear? He would've felt better if the left side at least matched!


	24. Human

***24—Human***

"Aunt Gab? Do you think Neville really fell for Victoire?"

"Dominique, why do you ask?"

"Because of Mum's blood, of course."

"Your mother could only slightly entrance men; your grandmother was doubly powerful, so the Veela in her worked often. Lucky for us, your grandfather loved her in spite of the magic."

"But we're talking about Victoire and Louis and me…"

"Veela blood rarely works in males. As for you and your sister, the blood is so diluted that you might as well just consider yourselves witches and witches only."

"Oh."

"Something wrong?"

"…I was just thinking that I want a love like Vic's…"


	25. Pea

***25—Pea***

"Never again, James," Victoire grumbled.

James, her cousin, sighed. "Agreed, Vic." He ran a hand through his hair as she crossed her arms in front of her chest.

"Just one more round! I'll beat him, I swear," Neville said without tearing his eyes away from his game of Exploding Snap with Justin.

Jacqueline, the teenage adopted daughter of James and Justin, carried three-year-old Frédérique in her arms. "Can we all pause a sec?" She looked at Victoire. "Sorry, but I was playing with her and she yanked on my necklace and broke it. Beads went everywhere."

"Then let's leave them and go find the beads so she's safe," James said, and he and Victoire followed her down the hall.

They found the beads, all right, because Victoire slipped on one the size of a pea. Needless to say, her fall got their husbands' attention. (Though Neville never did win that night—in more ways than one.)

- ^-^3

**And there we have a spoiler for my 7****th**** Jamestin fic, **_**Two Young Eyes to Guide Me**_**. And here's where I mention that Jamestin is JamesSP/Justin, another ****M&MWP****.**

**-mew! B)**


	26. Stern

***26—Stern***

Fleur locked eyes with her daughter. She'd said all she'd needed to say—how Neville was too old, how he probably still was upset years later from his divorce, how Fleur and Bill had sacrificed a lot to make sure their kids didn't have to face any kind of trouble whatsoever.

Victoire had barely gotten a word in. Fleur needed to understand so much—Victoire wanted them to know because she loved her parents dearly but she also deeply loved her former professor; she wanted them to realize that she'd never had such a connection with a man before and doubtful ever would with any other man. Acceptance would be nice, but Victoire at least wanted her voice to be heard. Was that too much to ask? She didn't think so.

Apparently, Fleur did. Because she refused to listen.

So Victoire left.


	27. Kitten

***27—Kitten***

"Oh my Godric—Margot, come quick! Mum's going through her closet!"

Victoire winced as her two daughters nearly crashed into her room. "You know, I'm only looking to put things in storage," she told them.

"We know," they chimed with smirks worthy of their uncle.

Victoire rolled her eyes as she threw some tops, sweaters, and shoes in a pile. After one pair of kitten heels went in, she heard them audibly gasp.

"Don't even think about them!" Marguerite warned her sister.

Frédérique snorted. "And, what, you'll wear them the next time Herschel visits?"

Victoire rolled her eyes again. She recalled a time when Herschel had only been Lania and Dermot's son, and when neither of her daughters had been interested in boys. She kind of missed that time!

- ^-^3

**What a nice spin on "kitten." ;D Some explanation needed… If you've read my Jamestin (JamesSP/Justin) fics, then you'll know that Lania is the daughter of Lee and Marietta (another ****M&MWP****), and Dermot is one of Justin's American cousins. They flirted in "Trial By Fire" barely, but I kind of like them together. So, their son, Herschel, makes his first appearance here, as a potential love interest for Margot! :D He's a few months older than her. And there are about 4 years between Marguerite and Frédérique. :] *end explanation***

**-mew! ;)**


	28. Smile

***28—Smile***

Yeah…that smile was a bit unnerving. Especially when he saw it on such similar faces.

Funny how, though in the hot seat, all Neville could do was think that Victoire really didn't resemble Louis or Dominique. He supposed their basic facial structure was a bit similar. But Victoire had a few freckles on her nose, faintly; her siblings had none. Though Victoire had pink skin, Dominique and Louis were lightly tanned. Victoire looked like Bill, with blonde hair strawberry enough to be called red and with blue eyes; Dominique and Louis were blonde—Dominique platinum—and both had light brown eyes.

Not to mention that while they were grilling him before letting him marry their sister, they shared this nearly evil smile. "I'm not going to hurt Victoire, you know."

"We know," Louis said, and Dominique nodded.

Ah. That sweetly implied threat… Yeah, they were Victoire's siblings, all right.


	29. Dress

***29—Dress***

She looked mesmerizing.

Neville's mouth went dry, and she happily blushed and twirled for him in a gown of navy blue. "Merlin, Vic… You're…"

"Drop-dead gorgeous?" she supplied. "Thank you." She kissed his cheek and hugged him. "Oh, it's so nice to go to a restaurant for once. It's been so long."

Didn't he know it. They'd been together two years now, living together for one. But it felt as though it'd been longer, especially considering how wrapped up they could get in their work. But tonight, for once…they were taking time for themselves.

And, boy, was he glad they'd made this Date Night.

Victoire tittered. "So, Nev, are we actually going to go out and eat? Or are you too busy undressing me with your eyes?"

He had the decency to blush.


	30. Alice

***30—"Alice"***

Frédérique was twelve and old enough to be curious and ask. "If our brother's named after Dad's dad…how come I wasn't named for Dad's mum?"

"Hannah thought to name your half-brother 'Frank.' Your father has only ever called him 'Frankie.' For a similar reason, you were never going to be 'Alice,'" Victoire replied. But Frédérique didn't like that roundabout answer, so the next day—after talking with Neville, who didn't want to come along—the two witches paid a visit to St. Mungo's.

Frank had passed a year before Victoire and Neville's marriage and Frédérique's birth. However, Alice was still there, though she had long ago become bedridden. She smiled dreamily when she saw Victoire; her smile was as brittle as her snow-white hair.

"Frédérique…meet your other grandmother, Alice." Victoire gingerly touched the older woman's cheek, and Alice grinned like a child at the warmth.

Frédérique said nothing. She grasped her grandmother's hand and gave it a squeeze…and even when Alice passed three years later, Frédérique never told how Alice had squeezed back.

- ^-^3

**I've wanted to do this one for a little while. While Frankie (Frank Harfang Longbottom) is an OC of mine that's been around for a few years, I always wondered if Neville **_**would**_** name his kids after his parents, considering their deteriorating state. Therefore, Hannah was the one to show "respect" and name their son "Frank;" Neville, though, is old enough not to want that constant reminder of a horrible past. This doesn't mean he doesn't love his son or his parents; it simply means that his daughters would not carry a name that would make him sad every time he looked at them (hence the nickname "Frankie," too). In this visit, I don't think Alice recognizes her second daughter-in-law nor her granddaughter…but I think she senses they are warm and dear to her in spite of that. This drabble and the next, #31, are two that were hard to write because I got teary-eyed.**

**-mew! :')**


	31. Exam

***31—Exam***

Victoire bundled up as the Healer told her that she was in perfect health. Despite having a miscarriage three years ago, there was no reason why Victoire couldn't have kids.

Neville pecked the top of her head and reassured her that they'd be fine. She was only twenty-seven and they were only recently engaged; they'd have plenty of time to make a family of their own.

Her heart sank and she bit her lip. She always thought she'd be the first to marry—but that had been James. She always thought she would've been the first to give birth—but Molly had had a beautiful baby daughter with Michael two years ago, and Sara Alexandra Corner was Grandmam Weasley's delight. Victoire knew it was stupid to be jealous of her cousin, but she was jealous nevertheless.

As her heart sank further, it broke. She turned her face to Neville's chest and sobbed, her make-up ruining his cloak. And though he hushed her and patted her back, his chin was resting on her head. She could feel his own tears hit her hair…

- ^-^3

**My only comment goes to ****xakemii****: Because "Alexandra Sara Corner" doesn't have the same ring to it as "Sara Alexandra Corner" does, Kimmy. ;)**

**-mew! :')**


	32. Mumble

***32—Mumble***

"I…" Her words faded into the deafening silence of his office.

Neville turned white. _What_ had she said? He wasn't too much of an idiot; he knew he got along well with Victoire. But she was a seventh-year student, freshly eighteen, and without plans for the future. Oh, Merlin, had he led her on? Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"I love you." She froze. "I _really like_ you," she mumbled, as if the lighter words wouldn't seem as intimidating.

He gaped at her. So. She really did fancy a professor. But what about Teddy Lupin? He thought they'd been so close…couldn't she fancy him instead? In fact, Neville could recall them having dated briefly last year. No, wait, they'd broken up. Or had they? But, either way, how could she have had the time to fancy Neville? Besides, Teddy and Victoire had had everything going for them. Neville would ruin her, that was for sure. … Er, if he ever returned her feelings, which of course he couldn't…right?

But she didn't give him the chance to turn her down, because she ran, thinking his silence was his answer.


	33. Dragons

***33—Dragons***

"Hell no!"

Frédérique glared at her mother. "I'm not asking for permission. I'm _telling_ you what I plan to do for a living. And I'm going to go work with Uncle Charlie, Aunt Mira, and Cousin Lily. And that's final."

"What about Colin? You're always telling us how much you love him." But even as Victoire said it, she and Neville knew they were grasping at straws. Dennis would never let his son anywhere near danger, even if Colin had been with Frédérique since fourth year.

"Then maybe I won't be the next Mrs. Creevey." She frowned. "But let me do what I love. I know Margot's the golden child; I know she loves Herbology. But we're two different people, Mum, Dad. And I happen to prefer dragons to plants." It was quite obvious she knew she was breaking Neville's heart, because she didn't appear to like what she was saying—but that didn't mean that she was going to change her mind.

"…fine," Victoire said at last, because she remembered once being a girl who had challenged her mother. The difference was that she and Fleur hadn't spoken for two years for it.


	34. Dawn

***34—Dawn***

They were in Victoire's four-poster, staring at the ceiling and waiting for the sun to come up.

"Really, really?" Maria Ferraz, Victoire's best mate since second year, whispered.

Victoire was glad for the dark, for her cheeks were cherry red. "Yeah. I think Professor Longbottom's cute."

"Are you sure you're not just now attracted because he's suddenly divorced?"

"Says the fifth year who said the other day that Professor Dennis Creevey has always been single."

The half-Portuguese witch grinned—Victoire could sense it. "So? Maybe I just like Art and Muggle Art and Muggle Music."

The two eagles giggled, giggling harder as they tried to hush so as not to wake their roommates. They wouldn't have to stay quiet for long. Another day was on the way…and with it, the girls' favorite "subjects."

- ^-^3

**And, finally, after 2 yrs stored in my brain, my OC Maria appears!**

**-mew! XD**


	35. Ex

***35—Ex***

He swallowed the lump in his throat. He couldn't stand on the sidewalk for the whole day. …or maybe he could.

When Neville entered the Leaky Cauldron, he didn't feel Hannah's eyes on him. Maybe that was a good thing. According to Justin, Hannah and Ernie had only ever been closer after her divorce from Neville. Still…she knew about him and Victoire.

He marched to the back door and slipped outside. There stood the ever-familiar entrance to Diagon Alley, a place with his favorite apothecary and potion ingredients (because one place sold seeds while the other sold mulch) were. He made his purchases and took his time…but time passed quickly, and he found himself back at the back door to the pub. Well, if he could make it out, he definitely could make it in, right?

This time he knew she saw him; he didn't have to look to know it. She even said hi! And what did Neville do? He dumbly nodded and ran out without muttering a single word. Some Gryffindor he was!


	36. Pink

***36—Pink***

"Pinky promise?"

Victoire groaned. "Maria, there's _no_ magic or potion I can use to _make_ sure I'll have a girl."

Maria pouted. "Oh, come on! In five months, I'm going to have a boy. It would be nice if, in seven, you had a girl! That way, we can definitely set our kids up. And we can be in-laws!"

Though she loved her friend's idea, Victoire was skeptical. She had a wedding to finish planning, and she had many months to clear before she could feel that the baby would be okay. "What if I have a boy?" she threw out there.

"Well, duh, that's obvious. We'll still hook them up!"

Victoire held her head, shaking with laughter at Maria's seriousness.

(Of course, Maria got her way, for weeks later Victoire began shopping for pink baby things.)

- ^-^3

**This drabble came about more than anything from my talks with two of my closest friends, *lol*.**

**-mew! ;]**


	37. And

***37—And***

"And…I'm jealous of how you never have to style your hair because it always bounces right into place. And I'm so amazed when you walk by and enthrall people—I know the Veela in us doesn't work, but it's as if it doesn't matter with you because you have such presence. And I envy your friendship, because I don't think you'd ever betray Maria and she wouldn't do that to you. And I like that you're not a total know-it-all for being a Ravenclaw; you've too much common sense to be just a bookish chit."

Victoire was amused by her sister's words. "Jeez, Dominique. Anything else you want to confess?"

"And…you're my role model, sis. I love you."

Dominique hugged her as she said, "Oh, Dom… I love you, too…but I'm no role model."

Dominique only agreed when Victoire left her behind at home three years later, when she put Hogwarts—and her family—behind her.


	38. Line

***38—Line***

He slept so quietly.

She sat on the edge of the bed, listening to that sound while her mind raced. Had this been worth it, coming here? It was her first time at his home. It was her first time with him. It was the first time she'd lied to her parents and told them that she was sleeping over at a friend's house. But which one of them had crossed the line? Him, for giving in to her? Her, for making him succumb? And why had she wanted him to succumb so badly? Was it for the same reason she had barged into his office almost a year ago now?

But she'd done that because he was different from her other friends, the other professors, the other adults she knew. Often he had a slightly dumbfounded expression on his face, but that hid a subtle intellect. He was kind but just, and long gone were the days when he let anyone walk all over him. He was also so hesitant to lend a comforting arm, but she knew he was compassionate. Neville was a much better, more special man than for whom anyone gave him credit.

And, hell, did Victoire love him too much for it.


	39. Restlessness

***39—Restlessness***

"I do not like zis, Bill." Fleur cursed in French as she burned herself taking a muffin pan out of the oven.

Bill reached for her hand and kissed it. "I know, luv. It's been two weeks. We can't get used to something like this so quickly." He grimaced as tears welled in her eyes.

"She eez nevair going to talk to me again!" she breathed, holding back her tears. "But I worry! She eez my daughter! My baby girl! _Our_ baby girl!"

Bill cooed to her softly in French and kissed her forehead. "And she won't stop being our daughter, Fleur. Even if she thinks she's now grown and wants to be with—"

"Pleez, do not say 'is name."

"All right…then please don't burn the house down cooking."

Fleur sighed. "I am sorry… I just do not want 'er to theenk zat I do not love 'er anymore… I do not want to be cut off from 'er." She wrapped the warm muffins and put them in a bag—and then she called Dominique downstairs.

- ^-^3

**This ties into drabble #3, "Runaway." ;) If you recall it.**

**-mew! :}**


	40. Brother

***40—Brother***

On his way out of the classroom from visiting his father, Frankie heard an interesting exchange as he passed by Frédérique and her friends.

"Oh my Merlin—Fréd! Who's the cutie that talked to your dad?" a girl in red robes asked.

"Eh? You mean Frankie? That's my brother."

"But he's so much older than you," another girl said. "And I thought you were the oldest."

Frédérique shrugged. "We've got different mums. Dad met his mum a long time ago, whereas my parents came later, along with me and then Margot."

"So that means he's not your real brother. He's just your half-brother."

"What different does that make? A brother's a brother and I love him all the same."

Frankie was grinning from ear to ear as he left to catch lunch with Jacqueline.

- ^-^3

**I've been wanting to write this one for a while! :D I love Frankie, I do. Good big brother material (and good with Jacqueline, too). ;) But I also hate when people try to distinguish lines when it comes to step-siblings or half-siblings…family's family, people.**

**-mew! ;P**


	41. Sign

***41—Sign***

Margot held on to her sister as Frédérique sobbed. They'd never heard their parents fight like this before. Sure, there was some bickering and everyone had arguments. But they'd never heard them shout and yell so.

Marguerite closed her eyes, trying to pick out words from their fight. But she couldn't focus; their volume was too jarring, and every time their dad opened his mouth, Frédérique sobbed harder.

The younger witch wondered why they were at odds. But, more so, she worried. Her dad's track-record included one divorce so far. They wouldn't make it two, would they? She closed her eyes. She could feel hot tears pricking the backs of her own eyes.

Frédérique wailed, and the shouts faded into nothing. The next thing Margot knew, their parents had barged into her room and enveloped them in their arms.

"Oh, girls," their dad said. "We didn't mean to scare you. Adults just fight sometimes, that's all."

"And everything's fine," their mother said. She kissed them. "You'll see."

- ^-^3

**:O *dun dun DUN* Is it?! To be answered in #43…**

**-mew! :O**


	42. Cars

***42—Cars***

"What's it like, your place?"

Neville thought. "Well, it's near my grandmother's, to be honest."

Victoire nodded. "Right. I'll meet her sometime… But what's the neighborhood like?"

"Mainly Muggle, but there are a few Wizarding families. Muggles will always outnumber us, you know."

She looked uneasy.

"Is something wrong?"

"Um…are there a lot of cars on the street?"

He stifled a chuckle at her expression. She was so cute with how worried she was. "Not a lot, but there are some."

"I don't do well with cars."

"You'll be fine." He thought, then, if maybe he'd implied a little too much…


	43. Rustle

***43—Rustle***

Victoire tried to hush the girls.

"What's with all the secrecy?" Frédérique asked. "It's summer and it's not one of our birthdays."

Neville rolled his eyes, trying to manage a large, rustling bag behind him. "Girls, just—"

They heard a squawk, and their eyes lit up.

He quickly pulled the cover off and revealed to them a medium-sized Tawny owl. It chirped, and the girls squealed ridiculously.

"Oh my Merlin—is he ours?" Marguerite screeched.

Victoire sighed. "Since Frédérique is starting Hogwarts next month, we decided we needed a family pet…and we went with an owl," she said, making a face.

Their daughters nodded. "So _that's_ why you two were fighting," Frédérique filled in, relieved.

Neville smiled and pecked Victoire's cheek. "And Mum was right—everything's fine."


	44. Back

***44—Back***

Victoire sat listening to the music as Neville and Frédérique had their father–daughter dance. Colin would be cutting in soon.

The mother took in the wedding and the coziness of it. She remembered her own had been a smaller affair, but that was mainly because not everyone had supported them. But Frédérique wouldn't have to go through as much as her parents had—at least, Victoire hoped.

Sometimes Victoire thought about the feuds and the fights and everything bad that had happened before she and Neville had been accepted together. She tried to picture a different life—like the one with Teddy that so much of the family nearly had bet on. But she couldn't picture it; Teddy was too much like a brother to her. Putting her and Teddy together was like keeping Lily and Teddy apart!

But it was funny…one thing she couldn't picture was her life without Neville in it.


	45. Friends

***45—Friends***

"Ah, Vic, give her to me. I'll change her—go sit down and relax for a second."

"Are you sure, Louis?"

"Might as well. Frédérique seems to like me best anyways. Hey, don't laugh!"

"Sorry. It's just…she's only one, Louis. And you don't want only to take care of my children forever, do you?"

"Eh, I'm sure Dom will have one, too."

"Louis… Kids and a future—don't you want it like the rest of us?"

"I'm all set, thanks."

"… Are you still—"

"—_best friends_ with Hugo? Yes, of course. You know we share an apartment."

"It's okay, little brother. I'm glad you're happy with him. Just…ask our cousin if he doesn't want that future, yeah?"


	46. Bundle

***46—Bundle***

Neville sniffled. "'S a bit chilly, yeah?"

Victoire looked up from her book and removed her reading glasses. Her lips curved up into a smile. "Aww, lookit you!"

He stuck his tongue out at her, but that was due to the fact that he didn't see what she did. _He_ saw a grumpy old professor in two sweaters with a blanket draped over his arms. _She_ saw her boyfriend bundled up in cloth like a kitten in a basket of fresh, warm laundry. Sure, she was wearing a long-sleeved top, but she'd always run hotter than he did.

"Come here," she said, patting the couch on which she was outstretched.

Neville padded over and stretched out, too, snuggling into her arms. He sighed happily with his head on her bosom. "Much, much better."

Victoire snorted and rolled her eyes. Then she kissed the top of his head.


	47. Trouble

***47—Trouble***

"You're lucky _I_ was the one who found you!" Victoire hissed as they hurried to the Great Hall for supper.

"Yes, but did you _have_ to interrupt?" Maria made a rude gesture with her hand.

"Maria!" Victoire stopped her and faced her; they were the same height, so they were eye to eye. Victoire clenched her jaw, a knot forming in her gut. "Maria," she repeated. "We're in our last year. Do you want it to go up in flames because you get caught with Professor Creevey?"

Her friend was still annoyed. "Dennis was only giving me the assignment I missed from yesterday from being sick."

"I'm sure you got a high mark."

Maria growled. "You know, don't take it out on me, your frustration over Longbottom. Just ask him out already! As you pointed out, this _is_ our last year."

For some reason, that sounded like a dare to the Weasley.


	48. Award

***48—Award***

It didn't matter that they'd grilled him for hours. It didn't matter that they had settled him with every dirty look in the book. He'd faced far worse with the Carrows, once upon a time.

But Fleur was not Alecto. Fleur could be an angry witch when she wanted to be, but she preferred to keep her cool. She liked to let her food play with her first before she tore into it. Yes, she could be scary, but she wasn't Alecto.

And Bill was no Amycus. Bill could be very intimidating, but he didn't always _like_ doing that. He was someone wholly willing to reason with people—and he had to be, to be married [successfully] to Fleur. But he definitely wasn't Amycus.

However, Neville wasn't his old self, either. He'd grown up. He could handle anything thrown at him. He was brave, wasn't he? He'd called them out for coffee after a month, to ensure that Victoire was fine and safe at his home, and that he'd taken the couch. Their relief and near acceptance was like an award…now if only asking them for her hand years down the road could go as smoothly…


	49. Strain

***49—Strain***

"Push, push!"

That bloody Healer didn't need to tell her twice! Didn't she know that Victoire had already done this once—and _without_ any help?

Victoire forgot her anger as she screamed. She wondered if she'd broken Neville's hand yet; she was clutching it so tightly.

She screamed again. But, this time, her scream sounded as though it had an echo. The pain lessened greatly as she breathed. To her left, Neville gave a wet chuckle. And that "echo" still sounded in the room.

"Well, at least we made it to the hospital this time," Victoire rasped as another Healer passed their second girl to her.

Neville smiled against Victoire's temple, but then his eyes were on their new baby. "Welcome to the world, Marguerite Odette Longbottom."

"_Now_ you finally decide you don't like 'Madeleine'?!"


	50. Mermaid

***50—Mermaid***

"Why Veela? Why couldn't I be part mermaid?" Frédérique kept repeating it, much to Victoire's horror. Victoire screamed, and Neville and Bill came running from Shell Cottage.

Neville dove right into the ocean, and Bill waited for him at the edge of the tide. Fleur joined Victoire and Frédérique, pulling them in close as they awaited the verdict.

On the sand, Neville laid six-year-old Margot out and performed CPR as Bill cast a few charms on his granddaughter. It took a few minutes, but Margot coughed up the water. She was dry and shaking, but her arms were like steel, wrapped around her father's neck.

Frédérique was not punished. It had been an accident. No one should've let a ten-year-old walk out of the house with no supervision and with her sister in tow, not when neither of them really knew how to swim.

Still, Frédérique wanted to be part mermaid from that day on.


	51. Pillow

***51—Pillow***

His eyes shot open.

Why, oh why had he dreamt that? It scared him so, though that past was decades behind him.

Neville turned and watched Victoire, who slept with her head in the crook of his arm. He tried to breathe easily, to regain some peace of mind as he pushed violent images from his mind.

Victoire was lucky to be so carefree and innocent. She did not know the pain and loss of war. She did not know how it felt to live from day to day propelled by adrenaline. She didn't know what it was like, having to use spells she'd learned and never thought she'd use and then having to trade in her wand for a deadly sword at a moment's notice.

She knew none of that.

Neville watched her, letting his head relax on his pillow at last.

He hoped she would never have to know any of that.


	52. Comfort

***52—Comfort***

_It really was a nice wedding,_ Harry thought as Victoire and Neville danced at their small party. Not _all_ of the family had shown up, but enough had.

"Victoire looks lovely—and lucky," Ginny mused aloud to her husband. "Despite Hannah… I really think Victoire has something special with Neville."

"He's a good bloke," Harry added. "I don't view it as either his or Hannah's fault for their failed marriage." He shrugged. "Some things just don't work out."

Ginny quirked an eyebrow. "Are you implying that some other things are meant to be?"

He grinned. "Maybe."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, let's at least take comfort in the idea that Lily won't be inspired by them to go after Teddy. Wait, where's Lily?"

_Too late_, Harry thought.

- ^-^3

**Again, a bit unconventional by switching the POVs to a third, outsider party…not to mention I even wrote CANON! And Harry, at that! ;P But my bias comes through, with the Lilted mention…**

**-mew! ;]**


	53. Song

***53—Song***

"What's that on the wireless?"

"Oh, this?" Lania—a friend of James' and sort-of friend of Victoire's—smiled as she hummed along with the tune. "It's an old song."

"Who's the singer?" Victoire asked. They were chatting in the time before James and Justin's wedding (which was useless, since they'd had a handfasting the year before, but try telling _that_ to Justin's mother).

"No one magical—or British, for that matter." Lania paused for thought. "Agh, I can't recall their name… I just remember they're American. I think. Why, thinking it might be your song with Longbottom?" Lania winked mischievously.

Victoire thought about it. She'd heard of Muggles choosing songs to represent relationships, but she wasn't sure that she was fond of the idea. Besides, who wanted "_And it'll be great, just wait—or is it too little too late?_" to describe their love?

- ^-^3

**Ah, OCs…there's a hint there that Lania ends up with an American, *lol* (Justin's cousin, Dermot, for those who've not read my Jamestins). The song mentioned is "Too Little Too Late" by Barenaked Ladies. :D Good song!**

**-mew! :)**


	54. Question

***54—Question***

Hermione chuckled. "It's nice to live a quiet life, isn't it?"

Neville nodded and smiled, happy. "It is."

"Hey, I thought Neville had stopped by for a blokes' night in with Harry and me!" Ron whined from the kitchen.

"But you took after your mum and became such a good cook, dear," Hermione called back, and Harry and Neville laughed.

"So…Ron taking after his mum," Harry said. "Who would've thought it? Though there are so many Weasleys…"

"I just realized—" Neville gestured between the three of them. "We're all with Weasleys—cripes!"

"Well, once you go Weasley, you never go back, am I right?" Hermione asked with an impish smirk. She, like Harry and Neville, had been around too many Weasleys for far too long.

- ^-^3

**Credit for that hilarious line that Hermione says goes to my bestie, ****BlueMango****. I don't even remember why she said it…but we both knew I had to use it.**

**-mew! XD**


	55. Choice

***55—Choice***

Victoire couldn't sip her tea. But she also couldn't speak. Her mouth had gone dry.

Dominique, on the other hand, cupped her chin in her palm and leaned on the kitchen counter. "I think I really love Lysander."

"I can see why," the elder witch rasped. "But, Dom, I'm—"

"Don't tell me you're sorry," she whispered, but there was no trace of malice in her tone. "It's no one's fault that…my womb…" She cleared her throat. "I was born with a faulty womb that's too risky for magic to heal. But I'll be all right."

"He said you could be together, just the two of you."

"Or we could adopt." Dominique's eyes were glassy. "He said it's my decision, and it's fine no matter what, because he loves me and wants me to be safe and happy."

"Dominique…marry that man." The sisters exchanged a tiny smile.

- ^-^3

**This is actually based on a oneshot I wrote three years ago, called "Out of Reach," and in it Dominique discovered she couldn't have children… It's kind of an idea that's stuck with me, and I actually want to hold on to it in this universe, my head-canon. But fear not for her! If you know my fics, you'll know that I rarely leave the charries with unhappy endings. -w-**

**-mew! :')**


	56. White

***56—White***

Victoire hated white.

It was such a…_blah_ color. Actually, it wasn't a color. Or…was it all of the colors together? See, that was confusing, and it made her hate white all the more.

Then there was the idea that white was something innocent and pure. Victoire didn't feel pure. She wasn't pure of mind; no healthy teenage girl was. She wasn't pure of body; though it had only been once, she _had_ once made love, with Teddy. She wasn't pure of heart…or was she? What did "pure of heart" mean, anyway? Did it mean one who doesn't steal another's husband? Then again, Victoire had stolen no one. It had not been her fault that Hannah and Neville split—that had been before her time with Neville.

Still, Victoire thought as she sat at work and eyed the robes for special occasions, she just didn't quite feel as though white was for her and, by association, wedding dresses weren't, either.


	57. Mend

***57—Mend***

Six months. …well, six months-ish. Something like that. Did it really matter when it was Christmas?

Fleur crossed her arms in front of her chest and huffed. "You are 'ere. Why did you come 'ere?"

A million and one responses welled up within Victoire, but she bit back a million of them. "Because you're my family, and nothing will change that."

"What about 'im?"

"He understands that I need to be here…at home."

Fleur's face crumpled; it was as though the word "home" was a temporary truce between them. One second, Fleur was resolute—the next, she had her older daughter in her arms, and both of them were sobbing.

All throughout her stay, Victoire was glad to be at Shell Cottage, even though Neville wasn't with her. She got the best gift ever: things between her and her parents were clearing up, definitely.


	58. Focus

***58—Focus***

"You know, a few times, I really couldn't concentrate with Justin around," James said. He bit into a biscuit as he and Victoire lounged on her break. "I mean, how could I think about how circuitry works when the love of my life is my bloody Muggle Studies professor?"

Victoire gave James a look. "_Please_. At least you knew you might sneak a snog when no one was looking." He blushed. "As for me, I had to do my best in Herbology while dealing with the angst from knowing I'd probably never have Neville." She took another biscuit but didn't eat it. "And Herbology was _not _my favorite subject."

James nodded. "Muggle Studies was only one of mine. I really did love Arithmancy."

Victoire smirked. "And how did Justin feel about that?"

He stuck his tongue out at her. "Didn't matter—he had a hard time focusing with me around, too."

She sighed. Sometimes, she was really jealous of her cousin.


	59. Percent

***59—Percent***

"Are you sure?" Neville's features were so serious in the dim lighting.

She bit her lower lip and slowly nodded. "Sure."

"Totally?"

"One-hundred percent."

Neville leaned forward and pecked her lips, which were already red and swollen from an impromptu snog session earlier. "All right, then. If you're ready…"

"Wait!" Victoire held up a hand to stop him. "Maybe we should do this another time…"

Neville looked just as unsure. "Perhaps you're right… I mean, a decision this big…"

She thought for another second and then shook her head. "Never mind. Let's do it, now, before we chicken out again."

He nodded and turned to the waiter to order that pricey Kobe beef. With _that price_, Victoire hoped there wasn't a sharing charge.

- ^-^3

**Get your minds out of the gutter… B) Though I will pat myself on the back for being misleading with this drabble! ;D But hey, Kobe beef is good but expensive! Especially when it's been shipped right from Japan. :O And stupid sharing charges… I hate going to a restaurant that serves a huge plate but refuses to let patrons split said plate unless they pay a sharing charge—bull! (No pun intended.) How do you beat a sharing charge? Order a side or an appetizer and call it your "meal." ;] *clever!mew***

**-mew! -w-**


	60. Dreams

***60—Dreams***

Marguerite couldn't sleep. She waited in her room until it was light, and then she went down the hallway into the kitchen, hoping for breakfast.

To her surprise, her mum was already up and cooking. "'Morning, Margot," she said from the stove. The scent of bacon hit the teen, whose mouth began to water. "Why are you up so early?"

"Couldn't sleep."

"Nightmares?" Her mother paused to look at her.

"No, just…no dreams."

"Oh."

Margot bit her lip. "No, I mean… I've got no dreams. Is it a bad thing not to have any plans for the future?"

Victoire smiled. "I never thought I'd own Malkin's or be with your father, luv. Sometimes having no plan is the best plan of all."


	61. Bank

***61—Bank***

"Hello, Neville," Bill said as he caught up with the other man.

Neville nodded his head and said, "Hi, Bill."

Those were the only words they exchanged as they walked up to Gringotts, Bill for work and Neville for a transaction.

Bill couldn't help but be a little curious about Neville's visit. It wasn't as though Neville stopped by all the time.

Neville didn't appreciate an audience as he walked the long entrance hall down to the head goblin. It was _just_ his luck to have bumped into Bill this morning.

After the goblin appraised his vault key, Neville turned—and, yes, Bill was still there. Bill gave him a little wave, but his grin was too wolfish to settle Neville's nerves.

And Bill? Oh, no matter how many years and decades would pass, he would always love unsettling the man who loved his eldest daughter.


	62. Blanket

***62—Blanket***

Fleur chuckled as Victoire dove under the covers with her. "Really, Victoire…! Your fozzer will be een soon to sleep."

The little girl snuggled her mother. "Yes, but in the meantime, we can continue our forte!" Victoire stood on the bed and threw the blanket over her and Fleur's heads. "There!"

"All right, all right…are you a princess again?"

"Of course. Will you be the dragon again?"

Fleur sighed, exasperated. "At least Teddy eez not 'ere to slay me once more…"

Victoire pulled a face. "Who said anything about Teddy?"

"Oh? Teddy eez not your, ah, dashing prince?"

"No… My prince will be someone tall, dark, and handsome."

Fleur sighed again. She wondered if Victoire's response had anything to do with Neville babysitting yesterday…


	63. Warm

***63—Warm***

Frédérique had just excused herself to use the loo. That didn't exactly help the already charged atmosphere.

"So, Colin," Neville said.

"Please, sir, just call me 'Junior' as usual," Colin stated. Even in a tense situation, he still preferred his nickname since most of the adults he knew had been friends of his late uncle.

"Junior," the father amended. "That was a nice dinner we had, wasn't it?"

Colin turned to Victoire nervously. "Delicious, truly delicious, Mrs. Longbottom."

Victoire smiled her thanks and poked her husband. "_Do_ stop scaring him, Neville."

"I'm not scared, I swear!" the young wizard said as he hopped to his feet. But in doing so, a little velvet box fell from his sweater's pocket. He blushed, and the room suddenly felt a whole lot warmer than it had before, no doubt about it.


	64. Hidden

***64—Hidden***

"That's the last time I loan her extra parchment for homework," Dominique groused as she sneaked into her sister's room. Good thing Victoire was downstairs with Teddy, Molly, and James, trying to play yuletide pranks on their younger siblings and cousins.

The blonde witch found her parchment crumpled in the middle drawer of Victoire's dresser. It was half used, full of outfit designs and other such ideas; so Victoire really did want to work with Madam Malkin after Hogwarts.

Dominique went to tear off the blank bits to doodle on when she discovered some scrawls in the corner on the bottom left side. Great. More of the parchment she…couldn't use… Her eyes nearly bugged out of her head.

Was that really "Victoire _Longbottom_" written within a red heart?!

Dominique stuffed the evidence back into the drawer, and she did her best to lock up the memory of seeing it in the back of her mind.


	65. Family

***65—Family***

Ulric picked up the new photo off his parents' mantle—ah, it seemed so strange to think that he had parents again—and admired the characters looking back at him.

There was Aunt Vic and Uncle Neville with their daughters—Ulric's cousins—Frédérique and Marguerite. Behind them stood Grandpa Bill.

At the other end was Uncle Louis, who had dragged his longtime best mate into the picture, too. Though he was actually a distant cousin, Uncle Hugo just felt like another uncle, and he seemed…_right_ standing next to Uncle Louis, Uncle Louis' arm around Uncle Hugo's shoulders. Behind them stood Grandma Fleur.

Then, in the middle, there was Dominique and Lysander. But Ulric would never call them that. For two years now, they had been "Mum" and "Dad" to him, and Ulric had never been happier.

Sure, maybe the family looked a little unconventional, but it was a family. His family.

- ^-^3

**8D YAY! Ulric makes his first appearance! And only 10 drabbles earlier, I made you all think that Domsander would never have a kid…well, now you know! ;)**

**-mew! :D**


	66. Bag

***66—Bag***

"I've definitely got this one in the bag," Victoire whispered to Maria.

Maria raised an eyebrow. "I'll see it when I believe it." She paused. "Er… I mean, believe it when I see it. Well, you know what I mean! Now go!" She gave the other eagle a little push.

Victoire waved from atop the stairs. "Ah, Professor Longbottom! Are you going to Hogsmeade, too—ACK!" Apparently, Maria had shoved her a little too hard, because Victoire stumbled to the first step and slid, skidding down the rest of the stairs on her bum.

Neville walked by as though nothing had happened. Apparently, he hadn't heard her.

Victoire cursed in French as Maria guffawed above her. "Thanks a lot!" she shouted up to the dark-haired witch. "Please, don't mind me—I like it here on the floor!" Maria doubled over with laughter, but she didn't fall, nor did she have the ability to help up Victoire. Apparently, slapstick humor could trump friendship. Sometimes.

- ^-^3

**Ever had that happen to you? XP**

**-mew! B/**


	67. Bright

***67—Bright***

He found her in the snow. "Vic, honestly… What are you doing out here?"

"Isn't it obvious?" She fought a shiver. "I'm enjoying the nice weather."

Neville rolled his eyes; it was too hard to look down at her with the pure white snow all around her—especially in the daylight. "Vic. C'mon. You're barely dressed to…'enjoy' the nice weather."

"Then join me and warm me up."

He sighed. "I'm sorry for what I said earlier."

"I'm not chastising you. All I asked was that you join me here in the snow in our front yard."

Neville complied, though initially the cold was bloody impossible to bear. After a few minutes of silence, he turned his head to her. "Luv…I _am_ sorry."

She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. "I know. Just…don't say that you're not bright enough to be with me, okay? You're brighter and braver than you'll ever know."


	68. Seemingly

***68—Seemingly***

It was Christmas, and everything was supposed to be great and perfect and happy. But, of course, it wasn't.

No, instead, a ruckus had erupted as soon as Al had let it slip that James was involved with a man…and a very much older man, at that. And now, because of that, Percy stood to the side with Audrey, Victoire fuming to the both of them.

"…can't believe Lily and Al and Aunt Ginny and Uncle Harry," she remarked. She furrowed her brow. "And no one's spoken to him since, it seems."

"It really is awful," Audrey agreed.

Victoire's eyes lit up. "We should go see him. I'll get Neville."

"What? Why? Percy asked.

Victoire fixed him with a stern look. "Because we love James, and we know how it feels, to be apart from the family…to be on the outside." She didn't leave room for an argument.

- ^-^3

**Ah, yes… I loved writing this, because it's the other side of a major scene from "Heroic Tendencies." :]**

**-mew! :]**


	69. Complete

***69—Complete***

So…here it was. The moment.

_The_ moment.

Everything was going to change in a matter of minutes…or was it seconds? And that was another thing—_would_ things change? Things had been so…_cozy_ the last several years. But would anything really change?

Neville wished he had had these same thoughts before, about Hannah. Maybe then, things would've been different. Frankie might've been born sooner. They might've stayed together. Ernie wouldn't have returned and grown even closer to Hannah, further ensuring Hannah staying with Neville. But…things had changed. Neville had split from Hannah. Neville had found Victoire. Neville _had_ Victoire.

Change wasn't so bad, after all. And Neville held on to the giddy feeling that thought gave him as he held Victoire's hands in his, tuned out the wizard officiating, and said, "I do."


	70. Silence

***70—Silence***

Deafening.

Absent.

Vacant.

_Quiet_.

When Victoire tried to enter their bedroom, Neville turned her away. He loved her, he did, but he needed to mourn. He needed time. He needed peace.

But he didn't want quiet. Anything but the quiet.

Everyone kept saying the same things, that it was bound to happen. She was old. At least he still had his parents.

The last remark got to him, because no one understood. Yes, his parents were still alive (for how much longer, he didn't dare think), but they were insane…mentally and socially dead. Augusta had been the last of his family, truly…but now his grandmother was gone.


	71. Book

***71—Book***

She grunted as she piled the books into her arms. Why was it that so many huge books were needed for a simple sixteen-inch essay on the recent developments in Transfiguration, since the 1950s to today?

Frédérique checked the titles she'd plucked from the shelves—heaven help the student who left a book out of place, since it seemed unlikely that Pince would disappear anytime soon and be unable to chastise said student. Luckily, the young witch had what she needed, and she headed for the table at which sat her cousin, Sara. Though Sara was a third year and Frédérique a first and they were in different Houses, the two were close. Frédérique liked to think of Sara as her best mate, but—if anything—Sara was a great study partner and tutor.

But they could only study if Frédérique made it back to the table in one piece, and she feared being buried alive as she wobbled and spilled backwards. But someone caught her, and Frédérique looked up sheepishly. She grinned as her books were magically moved to her and Sara's study table. "Heh… Thanks, Dad," she said to that Herbology professor.

- ^-^3

**Neville, the doting daddy.**

**-mew! XD**


	72. Shoulder

***72—Shoulder***

"Hey, hey—do you miss her?"

Neville bit his tongue and rolled his eyes. Why did Justin have to ask him these things while McGonagall was giving the Start of Term Feast speech?

Justin was doggedly curious tonight, though. "Seriously, mate."

The Herbology professor quickly glanced sideways at his friend. "That's a dumb question. Of course I do. I've been with her for months. Now I'm here and she's…there."

"It's only Halifax," Justin remarked. He paused long enough for McGonagall to finish and for the students' ruckus to get loud. Then he resumed their conversation…or he at least tried. Neville seemed intent on ignoring him if he was going to keep bringing up Victoire. Few knew, and Justin had found out by accident. Of course, it wasn't as though Justin himself would become involved with a student—never! So he sort of wondered what Neville was thinking. However, no matter how hard he bumped Neville's shoulder, Victoire as a topic was done for the evening.

- ^-^3

**Obviously pre-Jamestin.**

**-mew! ;P**


	73. Boy

***73—Boy***

Victoire cocked her head to one side, inadvertently leaning against Neville's shoulder as they rested on the couch. "What if it's a boy?"

He didn't even look up from the paper. "You know, I don't mind if it's just a healthy baby."

She rolled her eyes. "You _would_ say that."

He snickered.

"But being serious…what if it's a boy?"

Neville put the paper aside and slid a look her way, one brow raised. "All right. Truth be told, I'd love it if our first baby was a girl. Heck, I'd love to have all daughters, if we have more."

Victoire smirked. "You could deal with all those hormones?" He nodded, and her expression softened into a smile. "You could deal with them not carrying on the Longbottom name?"

He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm fine with letting Frankie do so, luv."


	74. Glass

***74—Glass***

There were a lot of delicate situations. Though, perhaps, none had ever been as delicate.

Victoire sat, not too rigidly, by the tree, sipping her pumpkin cider to keep her mouth shut.

Neville sat to her right, in the chair adjacent to hers. He tried to ignore the situation by playing with the tinsel that had fallen on the floor. He wouldn't have felt so awkward if Trevor had still been alive to play with Neville and the tinsel.

Augusta sat on the couch in front of them, a coffee table laden with sweets platters being the only barrier. Her legs were crossed, and her cheek rested in one palm as she leaned on her arm and scrutinized Victoire.

Neville really wished Trevor was still around. It was hard, glancing at Victoire right now. It hadn't been that long ago when Victoire had left her family home. This was supposed to be her first Christmas with Neville, but Augusta had insisted he bring his new flame along.

And now he knew just how glass-like Victoire could be.


	75. Smell

***75—Smell***

It was as though he wore Amortentia. Victoire could smell a mix of things on him—fresh soil, blooming flowers, baby powder, and fresh laundry—

She blinked. Wait. She was in Potions, wasn't she? Maybe someone really _was_ brewing the love potion…

The witch looked around her. Good. Slughorn hadn't noticed that she'd nodded off, and the Slytherin boy who was her partner was too focused on taking notes to pay her any attention.

Still, Victoire groaned. If she _had_ imagined smelling those things, then it made sense. Even the laundry, because he was always pristine before he went down to the greenhouses. But why had she smelled baby powder? Did he use it himself or—

She blushed and wished to have a potion to hide behind. She knew she had to be really in love with him to think she could one day make a family with him…!


	76. Up

***76—Up***

She laughed and laughed and laughed. And Neville's heart soared.

They were on one of their very first dates, and he'd told her a story of him, Seamus, Dean, and her uncles in the dorm.

Godric, she was beautiful when she smiled. When she found something genuinely funny, she wasn't quick to laugh. A smirk appeared and melted into a grin that reached her eyes. The blues of her eyes grew more intense, and her cheeks began to flood with the pink color of the rosehip tea she loved to drink. Her lips parted slightly at first and then quickly opened all the way. Her eyes would squint but never close, and her brow furrowed in this incredulous manner. She was so beautiful when she truly was amused.

Neville quickly followed up with stories of his Mimbulus Mimbletonia to keep her in high spirits, because when her mood lightened up, so did his.


	77. Down

***77—Down***

She didn't blame him. It wasn't really his fault. He was a naturally happy person. With her, it took a lot of effort to be happy.

It wasn't as though she was sad all the time, or found everything around her saddening or angering. The opposite of "happy" wasn't "sad" or "angry" anyway—it simply was "not happy." And Victoire simply felt "not happy."

Nothing could make her stop feeling so down. She didn't want flowers. She didn't want Neville to cook for her or bring her a meal in bed. She didn't want to go out, nor did she want to stay in. She didn't want to dress, but she couldn't stand to be in her nightgown for another second.

She didn't want to be awake or go to sleep either. However, sleeping was the best option, for, by the next morning, her hormones had balanced and Victoire was once more in love with life.

- ^-^3

**I know I mention hormones in the end, but the funk Victoire felt here is a general funk that everyone can feel sometimes, not just ladies once a month. :/ But most people pull out of this funk just fine. :)**

**-mew! :]**


	78. Story

***78—Story***

_Dear Victoire,_

_Let me tell you a story. Once upon a time, there was a family. The parents worked for a living, and their two daughters, mischievous as they were, were hard workers themselves at school. The family loved spending time together when they could, so summers were the best thing in their opinion. The girls loved swimming with their father, the mother loved reading in the sunlight, and the daughters loved waiting for the meal at the end of each night, because it was the biggest meal of the day. Sometimes there was cold soup made with fruit and served with three kinds of bread. At other times, there were grilled meats with fresh, crunchy crisps. No matter what, though, dessert was the best part of each and every meeting, for there was something new each night…_

…_and I know you were the one eying that last piece of strawberry pie before it "disappeared."_

_Love, Neville_


	79. Example

***79—Example***

_Dear Neville,_

_There seems to be a lack of communication with us lately. It has come to my attention that we have some issues to clear up…so allow me._

_Evidence 1: __I__ am the one who comes up with every "delicious summer meal," and __I__ am the one who slaves over the stove to feed us._

_Evidence 2: I earned a N.E.W.T. in both McGonagall's Transfiguration and Flitwick's Charms—I'm almost Aunt Hermione-clever._

_Evidence 3: I am your wife, and wives don't like being accused of __anything__ by their husbands. Remember where you get your loving from next time._

_Lastly—didn't you see Frédérique with red-stained fingertips before bed that night? Question the girls first next time._

_Love, Victoire_

- ^-^3

**In response to drabble #78. Can't blame her for setting him straight!**

**-mew! XD**


	80. Purpled

***80—Purpled***

_ Not my fault, not my fault, not my fault._

Those thoughts ran through her mind as the two of them stood frozen in his—no, it was _theirs_ now—living room. He was looking away, towards the mantle above the fireplace. Though she concentrated on the sixth button on his shirt, she could sense that he had his jaw clenched.

_ Not my fault, not my fault, not my fault._

"It's a little too bright in here," he said all of a sudden, the sound of his voice scaring her so much since it had been so quiet. He moved and dimmed the lights with magic, and then it was hard to see anything. But she could sense him forcing a grin. "Vic… Hey, Vic, look at me. See? I'm fine."

She dared to look at Neville, but she wanted to cry. She hadn't known one could slap someone so hard enough to leave a mark. The witch threw her arms around him and sobbed, because even if he _had_ been the one to insist that she go back home and fix things with her parents nearly as soon as she'd arrived on his step, all she could think was _my fault, my fault_ and that she'd never hit him again.

- ^-^3

**:O Sad…but she would never intentionally hurt him. This happened only because the tension was running high after she ran away from home… She never did hit him again, especially not after he displayed this "guys are supposed to be sturdy" attitude. *asdfghjkl* Can I marry him now?**

**-mew! :')**


	81. Care

***81—Care***

He was in love again. Augusta was sure of it. Before, after he'd split from Hannah, Neville had taken to having his grandmother over more often once more. But now she saw less and less of him, and they spent less and less time together.

So it was nice right now, with the two of them sitting quietly, enjoying the other's company while eating Chocolate Frogs.

"What's her name?" Augusta inquired.

Neville had a Chocolate Frog in his open palm as if it was Trevor and not a bit of magic. "Her name is 'Victoire.'"

His grandmother snorted. "She's French?"

"Only on her mother's side. Really, she's as British as they come."

"And when do I get to meet her?"

He smiled. "Soon, I hope."


	82. Queens

***82—Queens***

They sat, rocking the occupied crib. They were doting on her, their new baby girl.

"She's so sweet," Victoire cooed, staring at their baby.

Neville pulled his eyes away from their child long enough to catch Victoire's new maternal glow. He smiled. "Yeah, she is."

Victoire looked at him. "Can you believe it? We created that. We _made_ her!" She seemed ready to burst in her bubbliness.

He laughed softly so as not to wake the baby. "That's a delicate way of putting it!"

Victoire beamed. "But she's ours, all ours… I quite like her name, too—'Frédérique Élisabeth Longbottom.' It rolls right off the tongue, don't you think?"

"It's a beautiful name," he remarked. "And now I have two queens instead of one."

- ^-^3

**Note: They're not just his queens for being the special ladies in his life… It's because there's Victoire—**_**Victoria**_**—and Frédérique ****Élisabeth****—**_**Elizabeth**_**. The queens of England. XD This is more of a private joke than anything else, though, because I know two sisters whose parents named them like that, so it's a running joke.**

**-mew! ;]**


	83. Denims

***83—Denims***

"Now _that_ is a sight to behold."

"Hmm? What are you looking at, Mum? Oh my Godric, _gross_! That's Dad's bum!"

"Yes, and lucky for you and your sister that I still like it!"

"Ew, ew, _ew_! We are so _not_ talking about this!"

"Your fault. _You_ invited Junior over to help us in the yard. Don't tell me you've not been staring at him in _his_ denims, too, Frédérique. And what's with that, anyway? His nickname's 'Junior,' but he's actually 'Colin Creevey II.' So we shouldn't be calling him 'Junior' since Dennis, and not Colin, is his dad."

"Oh, I dunno. He's just always been 'Junior,' okay? And can we please stop admiring blokes' bums now?!"

"Hey, even _I_ can appreciate the view from here…"

"_Mum_! That's my boyfriend you're talking about!"

"As I said, I can appreciate the view…"


	84. Rainbow

***84—Rainbow***

It was a random thought. The year-end feast was beginning, and Ravenclaw had won the House Cup. Everything was cobalt and bronze. It was beautiful.

But he saw more than just cobalt and bronze.

He saw the indigo of her eyes when cast in shadow. He could picture the clear blue sky of summer behind her. He could see the hint of violet mascara which she wore on special occasions. He looked forward to reclining on the green, green grass with her, their tanning fingers entwined. He could picture the yellow of her straw summer hat. Then there were her luscious waves, orange tresses that always flew freely and fell over her shoulders as they pleased. Of course there was also red—the red of her lips and the red of her cheeks whenever she moved to kiss him.

The colors and Ravenclaw reminded Neville of Victoire, and he couldn't wait to go home tomorrow morning, home to _her_.


	85. Nothing

***85—Nothing***

Maria rolled a lollipop between her fingers as though Hogwarts hadn't ended yet for them. She looked up at her best mate, but Victoire was backlit by the sun, so Maria had to shade her dark eyes. "What are you going to do, now that we're out of school?"

Victoire had her hands on her hips as she stood before her sitting friend. "Nothing. I don't think Malkin will hire."

"Have you _showed_ her your designs? And your mum taught you loads about sewing and patterns."

The Weasley shrugged. "Dunno. I mean… I feel so unsure about everything right now."

Maria frowned and opened the lollipop. "Share-sies?"

"No, thanks, Maria."

"Maybe you should just forget about Longbottom…" But even as Maria said it, she knew Victoire was likely to give it another go.


	86. Again

***86—Again***

He could hear their chatter even in the next room. "Vic, is Maria here again?" Neville pushed open the door to the kitchen, his question answered.

"What, don't you love having me over?" Maria asked, switching four-year-old Frédérique from one to hip to another.

Neville sighed. "I have no comment. But I remember that the few times Vic got into trouble, you were always there," he pointed out.

The dark-haired witch grinned as Victoire groaned. "Lucky for you, professor, that Vic had detention with you a few times."

"Maria!" Victoire scolded her. But she was blushing and distracted. Neville narrowed his eyes at them.

"Is there something going that I should know about?" he inquired warily.

"Mummy's got a pregnant!" Frédérique happily chirped before the two women could respond.


	87. Spoil

***87—Spoil***

"Happy Christmas!" Rose and Scorpius chirped as they passed a large gift to their daughter.

Ianthe opened it to find the gorgeous azure cloak she'd been eying for a while. It was the perfect fit for her thirteen-year-old frame, and it had sparkly red material threaded through it at the hem and cuffs so that when she'd move, the cloth looked blue then purple then red. It was lovely…but Ianthe frowned.

"What's wrong?" Scorpius asked, as attuned as ever to his baby girl's emotions.

"Thank you for the gift," Ianthe said in lieu of replying. She knew her parents were sharing a concerned glance while she moved on to the next gift and the next.

But she couldn't answer her father in a thousand years. There was just no way that she could say she wished not for material things but the kind of family time Margot and Fréd got with their parents. She wished for her parents to spoil her in that way.

- ^-^3

**And so I finally introduce my OC, Ianthe, Scorrose's daughter. I like to think that Scor and Rose would be the worst of their gen when it comes to doting—they've got it bad. Sadly, sometimes Ianthe feels suffocated by that… But they mean well.**

**-mew! :')**


	88. Side

***88—Side***

After the reception, the guests dispersed and disappeared, and Neville chose to break things down so that Victoire could rest. Thankfully, Oliver, Louis, and Hugo had stayed behind to help.

The four men worked silently as Gabrielle and Dominique put the leftover food and favors away. The wizards had started working from the middle and worked their way outwards, so that now Louis and Hugo were across the way from Neville and Oliver.

Oliver tried to chat with the new groom. "So, Neville…"

Neville glanced at him. Once upon a time, it would've been great to have Oliver on his side. But as Oliver had become Victoire's uncle, Neville knew what to expect. "Yeah?" he prompted anyway. He was expecting what he'd heard from Bill and Fleur, from Dominique and Louis, from Maria, from nearly all of the family—a threat to treat her right or else.

So when Oliver said, "She's a lucky woman," Neville was speechless. And so the pleasant silence resumed.

- ^-^3

**X3 Gabriver (another ****M&MWP****) is kinda head-canon for me, tbh… No kids, but marriage. So Oliver's the uncle of Vic, Dom, and Louis. But I think he'd say this because he's known Neville a lot longer than he's known his niece, haha.**

**-mew! :3**


	89. Month

***89—Month***

Once upon a time, Neville lived peacefully with Victoire. They had their jobs and their families, but they came first in their life.

Scandalous age-gap aside, they were a perfectly normal couple. They traded off chores whenever they felt like it, they had plenty of arguments, and they indulged in affection daily.

To be honest, it grew so that there weren't any more surprises with them. It could be expected that Victoire would never turn the lights off when leaving a room, that Neville would remark every time he saw a car pass their house that he should get an auto, that neither of them would refill the birdfeeder in the backyard because they were sick of attracting everything _but_ birds.

Victoire didn't mind, though. She just saw it as a sign of growing up.

Neville minded, however, so he decided to change it up. And every night for one month he would present her with a different bouquet of flowers and a different language as he said, "I love you."


	90. Week

***90—Week***

On Monday, he kissed her to make her get up. The peck on the cheek gave her the energy to start the work week.

On Tuesday, she kissed him to heal. He'd burned his tongue on the tasty fish she'd prepared for dinner.

On Wednesday, he kissed her as another encouragement. A good snog helped them both get through the middle of the week.

On Thursday, she kissed him for the heck of it. It was just a sign of affection, a kiss on the shoulder, but what did anyone expect? It was hot in the summer, and she had no energy.

On Friday, he kissed her because it was raining. There was nothing like a kiss hidden by an umbrella.

On Saturday, she kissed the hand of his which she held. They danced the night away, and she never let go of him.

On Sunday, they didn't kiss. But they slept in and dreamt of all their kisses before.


	91. Day

***91—Day***

"He's been like that all day."

Colin looked from the pensive face of his wife to the back of his father-in-law's head. "Really? Just staring out of the window like that?"

Frédérique nodded. She was fighting tears. "He's not eaten anything. He hasn't left the room, either. I mean, we knew he was getting a little worse since…but…" Her voice caught. "I should go Floo Margot. She needs to get her family here if I'm right."

He let her dash off to call Margot and Herschel, but Colin entered Neville's room. "Um, Neville…?" he asked.

Neville didn't tear his eyes away from the window.

"Dad?" Colin tried.

Still, he didn't turn.

Colin cleared his throat. "Sir?"

Finally, Neville turned. "Ah, Mr. Creevey. I can't wait for the holidays. I want to watch the snow like this with my wife…"

- ^-^3

**And now you know—Victoire goes first. How, will be answered in a much later drabble.**

**-mew! :(**


	92. Scissors

***92—Scissors***

"Rock, paper, scissors!" they chanted together, and then they showed their hands.

Frédérique snickered as her sister and her cousin groaned, but she exchanged a conspiratorial wink with Marguerite. "So, paper wins once again!"

Margot gave Fréd a look. "I never should've asked Aunt Hermione about this Muggle game."

"Oh, hush up!" The older girl turned to Ulric. "So, Ric… Since you lost, you have to answer one question, and truthfully."

He eyed her warily. "That sounds a lot like Truth or Dare…"

"_Anyway_, whom do you fancy?"

Ulric turned bright red but squeaked, "S-Sara…"

The two sisters exchanged a knowing look. They'd figured he liked their second cousin and they were glad to know for sure. At least with his being adopted, there wouldn't be any spectacle as there'd been with their parents.


	93. Garden

***93—Garden***

Frankie didn't understand everything about his father. Of course, he didn't understand everything about his mother either. Why she had wanted to drop him off to visit with his dad, he hadn't a clue. He loved both his parents equally, but he thought it unfair that Ernie was going to take his mum out to one of those Muggle movies. Frankie was a teen, too—surely he could've seen it with them?

Besides, Victoire was here. While she definitely was his dad's girlfriend, he couldn't see her as anything but a family friend. After all, she had graduated Hogwarts a little while before he'd started.

Then there was their house. It was big—almost too big for Frankie's tastes. He preferred the cramped but cozy feel of the Leaky Cauldron. "Why do you like it here so much?" he asked his dad.

"I have a garden here," his dad replied.

Frankie grinned. He understood his father at least that much.


	94. Desk

***94—Desk***

It was made from oak. It was almost perfectly symmetrical, with the same number of drawers on either side. The handles were made from brass and were sturdy. The drawers never got stuck, and the corners of the top were rounded so that it never hurt too much to bump into them.

Victoire loved it. The drawers held the necessary art supplies for when she wanted to sit down and do a proper sketch of the design she'd just created. Many a new fashion sold in Malkin's were created at that desk.

Neville loved it. The wide space made grading homework a breeze, because he could make piles to his heart's content and always stay organized. The desk was a charm that made him efficient.

Naturally, the desk had to stay in the living room, where it was hard for the other to hog it, the silly children they could be.


	95. Dark

***95—Dark***

"Hey…have you got the sniffles, luv?"

"Ugh, I think so… This stinks. I _never_ get sick, Neville. I might even have to call off from work…"

"Hmm… Well, Malkin's still got her wits about her. I'm sure she can handle one day without you."

"But, Neville, what if it's more than one day?"

"You'll be fine! I'll make sure of it. What, do you think you caught something at work, Vic?"

"Dunno… Maybe? But I was only working with this new silk—spun from fairy silk. It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen! I should show it to you next time."

"Well, _you're_ the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, so—oh, hold on. Can't kiss you. You look to have dragon pox, judging by those marks. I'll go see about making some medicine for you, okay?"

- ^-^3

**:O Well, Vicnev's quite a bit older here, though I feel Malkin might just live forever, *lol*. (Side note: Vic comes to own the shop, so that Malkin can work part-time and take it easy, fyi.) But this is a bit of foreshadowing… You'll see why…**

**-mew! T-T**


	96. Year

***96—Year***

One year was all she needed to know that she fancied him.

She struggled in Herbology, but he wasn't going to let her fail. Neville wanted to see all of his students succeed to at least some degree.

She liked catching sight of him chatting with Finch-Fletchley, Creevey, and Zabini. He seemed to get along with them well, and she wished she could make him laugh as his friends did.

She only went to Hogsmeade that year when Neville chaperoned. It gave her the excuse to bump into him and casually ask to grab a butterbeer—only in the professional sense, of course.

She liked that he treated her like anyone else when she and Maria got into trouble, because he always sighed and gave her a grin after reprimanding them.

By the end of fifth year, Victoire knew she needed to try dating Teddy, because her crush on Neville was getting out of hand.

- ^-^3

**:] Obvo I've mentioned Justin and Dennis before, but I'd like to think that Blaise Zabini (Ancient Runes prof in my head-canon) would befriend them even though his wife, Pansy (D.A.D.A. prof) might not, *lol*.**

**-mew! :)**


	97. Hour

***97—Hour***

"Bill! Pleez, we are already late!"

"I'm coming!" he shouted from upstairs.

Fleur raised an eyebrow and exchanged a disgruntled look with Dominique. Lysander stood off to the side, trying not to have an opinion. "You two should probably 'ead over zere. We will 'urry along once your fozzer eez done beautifying 'imself."

Dominique checked her watch. "Well, we wanted to be half an hour early, but now we're half an hour late. As long as we show up for Frédérique's first birthday, I don't really think Vic will mind," she added with a sigh.

Fleur groaned.

Just then, Bill rushed down the stairs, looking at last ready for the party. He pointed to his ear, where a dragon-claw earring (thanks, Charlie) hung. "Well, what do you think?"

This time, they all groaned.


	98. Minute

***98—Minute***

His hand trembled something badly. It was a miracle that her hand didn't bounce out of his shaking one.

Victoire gazed up at Neville. Revered Rowena, he was tall. He was almost as tall as her father and Uncle Charlie. Actually, if Neville were as tall as Uncle Charlie, then that made Victoire almost as short as Aunt Miraphina by comparison, and Victoire almost wanted to laugh. But she didn't.

Neville wasn't just handsome, she realized. He was beautiful. She wondered if he knew that. His fringe somewhat hid his eyes, which were dark and glittering—and on her.

Ah, right, they were on her.

His lips turned upward awkwardly, and it was an adorable movement. She wanted to protect that smile…so she kissed it into permanence.

Funny how, after a minute of preparation, their first kiss lasted just as long.

- ^-^3

**-w- Charliephina is from my fic, **_**At the Moment**_**, for those who don't know. Miraphina is my OC. She and Charlie are married in this universe, with no kids.**

**-mew! :]**


	99. Second

***99—Second***

"The funniest thought just occurred to me," Victoire said as she sat beside her husband on the couch.

"What?" Neville asked, distracted because they were supervising Frédérique playing with toddlers Margot and Valerian, Roxanne and Lorcan's son.

"What if we had been born Muggles?"

That got his attention. He turned and looked at her. "_What_? What do you mean?"

She shrugged. "I mean, do you think things would've turned out the same? You, me, our family…"

"Even if they hadn't, I would've made sure to find you and make my life with you." He blushed at his announcement.

Victoire laughed cheerfully. "I thought the same thing right away, too!" She pecked his cheek. "Nice to know we'd make each other our soul mate."

- ^-^3

**Valerian—Ian, I should say—is my OC from the fic, **_**Week in Hell**_**, which is complete. I like that Vic wondered about an AU here, *lol*. And Nev would make sure there'd be Vicnev no matter what! D'aww!**

**-mew! :')**


	100. Go

***100—Go***

He…

…should've…

…_realized_.

The flu and colds hadn't come and gone several times. It had all been the one illness.

He…

…couldn't…

…_think_.

They were old. That's why he didn't see it sooner. It hadn't been dragon pox. It had been fairy pox, and she'd gotten it from that bloody silk. But fairy pox was new. No one knew how to treat or cure it yet…

So now Neville sat on the bed he once shared with Victoire, numb and unhearing and cold…

…and missing her as if missing a part of himself.

- ^-^3

**;_; Now you know why I wrote #95… Vic dies first… *sobs* It feels eerie to know that this drabble's under 100 words, too. O.o And fairy pox is of my own invention; maybe I'll write about it more in-depth sometime… Sorry for the feels, guys.**

**-mew! Dx**


	101. Handle

***101—Handle***

He loved her curves. All innuendos aside, he loved how she was nothing but curves. There was nothing sharp—she was smooth everywhere.

Whenever she reclined on her side on the couch, he'd be reminded of how much he loved her curves. With her distracted often by her book or sketchbook, Neville could let his eyes rove: over her dainty feet and dip at her ankles, over her strong calves and dip at her knees, over her hips and dip at her waist, over her shoulder and dip at her neck before finally roving over her head.

He loved the dip of her neck the most. It was the perfect place to rest his chin or face, and it was always the right temperature…

Neville chuckled as Victoire's head flopped on her supporting arm and a snore escaped her. Her hair fell over her face and shoulders in waves, and he noted that her hair shared her curves. But that was fine, he thought as he draped a blanket over her, because he could handle those curves, too.


	102. Suit

***102—Suit***

"Well! Don't you look sharp?"

Neville gave Victoire a look in the mirror, not convinced. "Why can't I just get some new dress robes instead?"

"Because you've never had a really nice suit before. And because I got to make it, so think of it as me practicing my skills." She beamed at him.

He turned to try and see all of himself, and his frown didn't go away. "Yes, luv, but…" He sighed. "I'm just better suited for dress robes."

Victoire raised one orange eyebrow and fixed him with that Weasley stare. "Neville, dear, if I say you can pull off a suit to celebrate your twenty years of teaching, then listen to me."

"Yes, but—"

"_And_," she forced, yanking on his tie, "you should know that a bloke in a well-tailored suit is to women what a woman in lingerie is to men."

- ^-^3

**XD That last bit was something I saw on the internet once, though paraphrased… Nice, yeah? Especially if we think about Matthew Lewis as Neville, that gem.**

**-mew! -w-**


	103. Corner

***103—Corner***

She turned to look over her shoulder and called out to the door. "Sara. Come on out."

A little girl of almost three peeked around the corner. Her curly hair was short and so dark brown, it might as well have been black. But her eyes…her eyes were the unmistakable Prewett brown.

"Come on now," Molly coaxed her, and Sara reluctantly trudged outside to the porch. When her daughter was near enough, Molly picked her up and held her in her lap, and Sara snuggled her mother's bosom. "Say hi to your cousin."

Sara looked at Victoire, waved, and then turned her face in to Molly's shoulder.

Molly laughed. "Funny, isn't it? How Michael and I could've had such a shy child?"

Victoire smiled gently. "Well, she's a Corner, Mols. She might not have much Weasley pigheadedness…" But the two witches nodded in agreement, because there weren't as many Weasleys now as there once had been.

- ^-^3

**Kind of a realization that, in my head-canon, there are only a few more Potters and no more Weasleys… o.o Also, I like to think of Molly (the original one) as passing on Prewett brown eyes… :')**

**-mew! :]**


	104. Land

***104—Land***

Fleur tapped her quill on her letter. She wondered if she'd expressed herself well enough. She hoped so… Just in case, she reread her written words:

_Dear Neville—_

_I know that we have not been on the best of terms. I know that, even though you and Victoire have married and have two beautiful little girls, I have not been as welcoming as I could have._

_My critiques of you are numerous. You are so much older than her. You already had a family once. Your suburban home cannot accommodate the four of you…_

…_so visit Shell Cottage often. Bill and I have more than enough land for the girls to play on._

—_Fleur_

She smiled…and then worked on carefully translating her olive branch into English from French.


	105. Outcast

***105—Outcast***

They were having a party for James' twentieth birthday, as organized by Mrs. Livingston.

"Please, it's 'Elizabeth,' darling," Mrs. Livingston told Victoire. They were meeting for the first time, and Victoire liked her already.

Victoire smiled at the woman's friendliness. "Right. Elizabeth, then. I was wondering… Was it long before you accepted your son's relationship?"

Elizabeth exchanged a look with her husband, Sampson. Then she shrugged. "Not really. We're old, and apparently we 'Muggles' don't live as long as you witches and wizards do." Her smile was kind and sincere. "Why waste any precious time hating what means the most to Justin?"

"Not to mention that they'd already married," Sampson gruffly added.

Victoire chuckled. "Justin's lucky to have you two for parents. …you should talk to _my_ parents sometime…"

- ^-^3

**A nod to J6, "Trial By Fire," in which we meet Justin Finch-Fletchley's parents. :') I love them! XD**

**-mew! ;]**


	106. Ramifications

***106—Ramifications***

"Do you ever worry, how it would've been different, if Fred had survived?"

George had been about to pass Neville the list of new Wheezes to watch out for in the coming school year, but he stopped. "Sometimes," the older man answered.

"What would you have done, if you couldn't have Angelina—er, I mean, be with her?" Neville's cheeks reddened.

"Dunno. There are always problems in loving someone you can't have, which Ange probably would've been, had the war been different."

Neville frowned, feeling a little hopeless since his romance with Victoire was new and just as fragile. "I see."

George eyed him and passed on the list after all. He grinned. "The trick, Neville, is not to think of what could've been, but to think of what you _do_ have."


	107. Ceiling

***107—Ceiling***

She surveyed his home from top to bottom, floor to ceiling. Victoire clutched the strap of the bag over her shoulder and gave him a wary look. "Are you sure it's all right?"

Neville rubbed the back of his neck. "Well, the time's not perfect, but…my home is your home." Despite saying such clichéd words, he knew he meant them. Merlin! Just how hard had he fallen for her?

Victoire dropped her bag and dove into his arms. She sighed, content to be with him. "So," she asked, her voice muffled by his chest, "I guess we'll finally find out if a teacher's salary can support more than one person, yeah?"

He chuckled. "We'll be fine, Vic."

She looked up at him. "I'll make Malkin make me her apprentice, no matter what."

Neville stayed quiet and let her plan. In the end, he'd always make sure that Victoire would never want for anything.


	108. Tales

***108—Tales***

"I'm glad."

Dominique and Lysander exchanged a glance and then looked across the counter as Victoire rang up their purchases from Malkin's, since they were going to have a nice night out with their parents, Bill and Fleur, and Luna and Rolf. But Dominique didn't know what her sister was talking about, because she had yet to tell her that she and Lysander were planning on marrying soon. "Glad about what?" the blonde witch asked.

Victoire smiled, half lost in her own world. "That you're my sister."

Dominique blushed and Lysander chuckled at their adorableness. "Why are you saying that now?"

"Because, you didn't send Lysander to tell me that you hated me. You never hated me with Neville. But James…" She sighed. "Calytrix is still talking for Al. He just can't accept James with Justin, it seems."

The younger Weasley nodded, but she wondered: Was it gossip if what they chatted about behind Al's back was true?


	109. Size

***109—Size***

"Creevey, Colin!"

Despite his size, Flitwick could project, which was a good thing. Since becoming deputy headmaster following the war, he had done everything McGonagall once had.

Neville nudged Dennis in his side. He grinned. "Do you see Minerva's face? She looks as though she's seen a ghost!"

Dennis' face reddened. "Yes, well, Junior's not the spitting image of my brother, but Maria insisted on him taking my surname. Still, it should've been 'Ferraz'… We're not even married…"

"Yet," Neville added for him. He couldn't understand why his friend refused to marry a woman he clearly loved.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat belted. Flitwick almost fell from his own stool.

Neville sighed. So, Junior was in his House… He wasn't sure anymore if he wanted Frédérique to be there, too.


	110. Jingle

***110—Jingle***

Four-year-old Frédérique reached for the light. "Pretty!" she cooed.

Victoire laughed and ruffled her daughter's hair. "You like the Patronus Charm?"

Frédérique nodded emphatically in the hazy light of dusk as they played in the backyard. "Make an animal! Make an animal!"

"Oh, Frédérique…"

"_Please_?"

Victoire gave in. She focused, and a thousand good memories flooded her. But her magic took form when she rested one hand on her belly; her and Neville's second child would come one of these days.

Her spell took the shape of a martin, which playfully darted around Frédérique. Then the little girl asked, "Why does yours and Daddy's lion make a sound?"

"Because that jingling noise is the sound of happiness."

- ^-^3

**The charm probably doesn't make a noise…but what if it did? ;)**

**-mew! -w-**


	111. Disaster

***111—Disaster***

"Did you hear?"

"Hear what?" Neville unwrapped his scarf as he came inside.

Victoire frowned and passed him a note. "It's from Rose," she said as he looked it over. "Draco and Astoria are gone."

Neville blinked, shocked. "…what?" It was hard to hear. The Malfoys had become part of their extended family, thanks to Scorpius' love for Rose. But to hear that someone he'd known almost his whole life had passed…? They weren't even that old.

"They passed in their sleep, didn't even make it to the New Year," Victoire said with a sniffle—she was probably thinking the same thing as he was. "Godric, poor Ianthe… And yet her great-grandparents are still alive, though I bet Daphne and Lucius aren't very close right now since it was her sister, even though it was his son, too…" She began to sob, and, as Neville held her, he got the feeling that it wasn't the mess that was the Malfoy family that was bothering her.

- ^-^3

**Daphcius is another ****M&MWP****, though canon LuciusNarcissa is implied here, too (because they made Draco). What an idea, for Draco to go first…**

**-mew! :(**


	112. Metaphor

***112—Metaphor***

She met him by the drinks, and he tipped his glass to her. "Padma."

"Hey, Neville." Padma jerked her thumb over her shoulder. "Harry's been asked to speak again."

"Ah," he said with a nod. "Makes sense, though I feel for him. He just might lose his voice after fifty dedication ceremonies for the war."

"Yeah… I wonder when people will stop coming?"

"_I_ wonder why we aged faster than those older than us have."

She chuckled at the face he made. "I take it as our experiences being worn and displayed in everyday life…but I know what you mean. Sometimes, I feel as though I can't keep up with Kingsley."

Neville sipped his drink. "I wonder, too, about you two…"

Padma waved her hand. "I'm happy being Xerxes' 'doting aunt,' Neville. Parvati…and Zacharias…are better suited to parenthood."

- ^-^3

**Implied Padmingsley, another ****M&MWP****, here… As well as confirmed Zachvati (****M&MWP****). For those who haven't read "Usurp" or my Jamestins, Padma works as Minister Shacklebolt's personal assistant/secretary/caretaker/babysitter. ;P But love keeps her by his side, *lol*. As for Zachvati…well, just go read **_**Where We Are Today**_** for their story.**

**-mew! :]**


	113. Wall

***113—Wall***

It was _exactly_ like being caught between a rock and a hard place. Neville had never experienced anything like this before. It had always been him and his grandmother. Later in life, of course, Neville had come to see the Weasleys and Potters as extended family, but none of that could've prepared him for this.

Neville fidgeted in his own home—his _own_ home, for Merlin's sake! "Exploding Snap? Gobstones?"

"No and no." Louis stretched his legs and didn't look away from the older man's stare. "Quidditch or flying?"

"No to both." Neville sighed. "My first interaction with a broom kind of put me off them."

"Hmm." Louis appraised him. "Sorry. It's just… I've never had a brother before, and you've always been more like an uncle, so I just can't quite see you even as my brother-in-law." In short, both wizards understood that they had nothing in common.


	114. Hunger

***114—Hunger***

Pansy prepared a cup of tea for herself. Lemon was always a good choice when she needed to stay up grading assignments for her Defense Against the Dark Arts students. But she could take a little break to join her husband since he wasn't marking up essays for Ancient Runes. She perched on the arm of his chair in the faculty lounge. "Guess what?"

"What?" Blaise asked, ever the smart man to indulge his wife.

She smirked, but it was almost like one of her teenage sneers. "Longbottom's dating a Weasley."

"Pans," he chastised, "I thought you didn't care about rumors anymore."

"Come on! It's juicy—Tracey saw him with Victoire Weasley in Diagon Alley before the start of term." She raised her eyebrows.

Blaise, too, was a little stunned, but he didn't want to feed her lust for rumors. "She graduated about a year ago, Pansy—just let it go, luv." He also thought less of Tracey for passing on the fact, for hadn't they all outgrown their teenage selves?


	115. Key

***115—Key***

Someone pounded on the front door, nearly hard enough to bring it down. Neville went and opened it, and in flew Louis. He was drenched from the summer rain outside.

"Okay," Louis said, beginning a rapid-fire stringing of words, "I've thought about it since the wedding and Frédérique's birth and maybe even before that, back before I signed up to play Seeker for the Cannons and maybe even before school ended, though things happened kind of fast when Hugh and I rented that apartment together, which no one minded, of course, but—"

Neville had no idea where Louis was going with this. All he could do was feebly hold up a hand and interrupt. "Ahm, sorry?"

Louis wheeled on him. "I thought to talk to Vic, but she's busy and I need a bloke's opinion and I thought that I needed family-who-kinda-wasn't-family, so—how do I come out to my parents? How did you and Vic tell them about you two?"

At last, Neville realized they had Victoire in common. But now he knew Louis was gay, too? And yet, at last the big brother in Neville emerged and told Louis to shower and warm up first, talk later.

- ^-^3

**Yes, this ties in with #113—Wall. :] I'd like to think that these two get along in their own awkward way. Also, yes, that's cousincest, LouisHugo, but they're both male and it's my fancy with them, so ;P. Anyone want to guess the other cousincest pairing in my head-canon? XD**

**-mew! ;]**


	116. Try

***116—Try***

"Fréd."

Frédérique pouted as she and Colin sat in the library, studying for their O.W.L.s as if they were eagles and not lions. "I hate that."

He frowned. "Sorry—Frédérique." He paused. "Did I upset you?"

She sighed and leaned on the table. "Yes. No. Agh, I dunno…"

Colin gave her a stern look. "I can't help if you're not straight with me."

"It's just—'Fred,' 'Freddie,' and now 'Frédérique.' I'm not a fan of this name that runs in the family."

He grinned gently. "Then, since Ulric sometimes goes by 'Ric' and we wouldn't want to confuse you with your cousin…how does 'Rika' sound?"

Frédérique's cheeks puffed as she held in her laughter. "About as bad as calling Aunt Dominique 'Nikki' does!"


	117. Light

***117—Light***

Today they sat on the front stoop, drinking hot cocoa. "What time of day do you prefer?" Victoire asked softly, her eyes never wavering from the sunset.

Neville took some time to reply. "Morning."

She smiled. That was so him, to say that. "I think I agree."

"Great minds do think alike."

Victoire leaned against his arm as the sun sank even lower into the horizon. "Why do you like it?"

"Hmm?"

"Morning."

He shrugged. "Easy. Without it, you wouldn't be the first thing I see."

She chuckled, touched. So it was just a version of "The better to see you with, my dear"—how appropriate.


	118. Pin

***118—Pin***

It was a never-ending staring match with the woman. At last, Madam Malkin grunted and tore her eyes away. Victoire's heart sank, but she wouldn't let it get to her.

"I don't need an apprentice," the older witch insisted. "Or an assistant."

"You saw my designs. Anyone call tell business has been slow. I could help you rejuvenate—" Victoire stopped when her words earned her a glare. It probably wasn't a good idea to talk to her future boss as if they were equals. "Look, I'm just asking you to give me a chance."

Malkin snorted. "Dear, I like your family, I do. But I don't owe them or you anything, and I told you 'no.' Why do you need a job anyway? I thought all Weasleys were well-off now."

Victoire huffed, not wanting to explain about her family and Neville. She flicked her wand, and there was no sound as she demanded Malkin's attention again. "Madam Malkin, I want to work with you because I respect you…but you will hire me if you want to know where I've hidden all your pins and supplies."

- ^-^3

**Perhaps Malkin's a little OOC here, but I believe her to be stubborn. She isn't the type to take any help. On Victoire's side, she's determined to prove her worth…but there's still a Weasley streak in her that's not afraid to employ a little blackmail from time to time. ;] Also, I apologize ahead of time—the next several drabbles have A/Ns, *lol*.**

**-mew! :3**


	119. Cover

***119—Cover***

"We were thinking… If it's all right, would you two be Jacqueline's godparents?"

Victoire covered her red cheeks with her hands and exchanged an excited glance with Neville. "We'd love to!" Neville answered for the both of them.

James and Justin smiled, and James breathed a sigh of relief. "Great!" he said.

Victoire hesitated. "Not that I'm not thrilled, but, uh, why not Hannah…?" Neville bristled but remained quiet. He was curious, too.

"Hannah claimed 'aunt' status, cementing her unofficial status as my sister," Justin remarked. "And it's fine. Aunt and uncles should be different from godparents. So they're 'Aunt Hannah' and 'Uncle Ernie.'"

"It's up to you what you'd like her to call you, though," James supplied.

They didn't really care, though. Neville and Victoire couldn't get over becoming godparents.

- ^-^3

**-w- *iz happy* This is a missing moment from…prolly between J7 ("Two Young Eyes to Guide Me") and J8 ("With Open Arms & Wings"). Read them! :D**

**-mew! :}**


	120. Heel

***120—Heel***

He hated seeing their looks. Some of them had known for a while, but it still hurt to see the open discomfort on their faces.

It was the first D.A. reunion in which he had brought Victoire with him. The reunions weren't a platform to show off their lives, but D.A. members were encouraged to bring a loved one with them for support.

"Don't look," Victoire said from behind him. She reached up and hid his eyes with her hands. He rolled on his heels as he bent back a little. "You don't have to see them if they don't want to see you." She waited for him to nod, and then they Disapparated away.

At home, she covered his eyes as he quietly cried. Who were the others to judge? What of Oliver, who had married Victoire's young aunt, Gabrielle? What of Terry, who loved Stephen, both of whom had suffered lost love in the war? What of Morag, who had planned to and had a baby of their own with her lover, Romilda, years ago? Couldn't everyone just be a little different and end it at that?

- ^-^3

**I could say **_**so**_** much here… Stephen/Terry is another ****M&MWP****, jsyk. Anywho, the image was a sad yet beautiful scene in my mind, with Neville faced away from Victoire as he cries… It would be a shame if they treated them like that. Especially considering the other age gaps, same-sex love, and redefining family, which the others mentioned have done. :( Btw, Morag/Romilda is a pairing by my pal, ****autumn midnights****, so please give her credit if you use them. That was a hint of my OC daughter for them, btw: Romagda Faustine Vane. Hooray for intros! ;P**

**-mew! :')**


End file.
